Nigeria’s failure to craft a polished, bespoke proposal, but settling for an alleged sloppy, copied-and-pasted, poorly-prepared bid document that smacks of sheer carelessness, rich in a litany of errors, contributed immensely to the country losing the 2031 Africa Games hosting right to Uganda.

But despite reports confirming that the country’s bid was dismissed for being error-laden, untidy and poorly prepared, the National Sports Commission (NSC), yesterday, said that it withdrew interest in the bid to host the 2031 African Games “long ago.” It, however, failed to point out at what point the loss of interest cropped up, and if the appropriate authorities were intimated.

The NSC’s declaration came just as Uganda was declared host country for the Games during the Extraordinary Session of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Youth, Culture and Sports (STC-YCS5), which held virtually on June 2, 2026.

“Anyone saying that Nigeria lost the bid to host the 2031 African Games is not fair to us because the NSC has since made its position known that we are no longer interested in bidding for the Games,” the official told The Guardian in a telephone chat yesterday.

Countering the NSC official’s position, an online report specifically said that Nigeria’s bid was dismissed for a litany of errors, just as it was described as untidy and poorly prepared.

The report stated that the document appeared to have been copied from Nigeria’s failed attempt to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, with elementary mistakes such as failing to update reference numbers.

“The oversight cast serious doubt on Nigeria’s readiness and credibility to organise the continent’s premier multi-sport event,” the report stated.

The decision reflects strong confidence in Uganda’s capacity to deliver a successful and impactful tournament, marking a significant milestone for the East African nation, the report said.

The session also saw ministers adopt the Revised African Games Fundamental Regulations, aimed at strengthening governance, transparency, and operational efficiency in the organisation of the Games.

Member states reaffirmed their commitment to international anti-doping standards, emphasising timely contributions to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the importance of clean sport across Africa.

As the meeting concluded, ministers renewed their collective pledge to advance youth empowerment, promote cultural exchange, and harness the transformative power of sport as a driver of socio-economic development, in line with the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

With the 2031 Games now secured, Uganda prepares to welcome athletes from across the continent in what promises to be a landmark event for African sport.