THE National Sports Commission (NSC) believes that the nation’s young athletes will excel at the 2026 Youth Olympics, which gets underway in Dakar, Senegal, this weekend.

Team Nigeria, with a contingent of 19 athletes, made up of 12 boys and seven girls, are already in Dakar for the fourth Summer Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympic sporting event being hosted on African soil. It will run from October 31 to November 13.
NSC Director General, Bukola Olopade, said on Friday that the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games provides an important platform for Nigeria’s emerging athletes to gain valuable international exposure, compete against some of the best young talents in the world and build experience towards future senior-level competitions, including the Olympic Games.

Team Nigeria is targeting an improved performance than it recorded at the maiden edition 16 years ago in Singapore.
At Singapore 2010, Nigeria recorded its best moment by winning four medals, made up of two gold, one silver and one bronze, to be ranked 29th overall in the world.

Eight years later, at Buenos Aires, Argentina 2018, Nigeria also got a total of four medals made up of one gold and three silver to finish in 48th position in the general medal table.
This time around, Nigeria is optimistic of surpassing its past performance as rush for medals begin in Dakar, Senegal.
For Olopade, the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar is very historic. “You all are history makers to be part of the first Olympic Games to be held in Africa,” he reminded the athletes. “This is why I am very confidence that these games will mark the beginning of greatness for all of you.”
Olopade urged the Nigerian contingent to make the country proud in Dakar, and translate months of preparation into impressive performances on the continental and global stage.
“You have to be worthy ambassadors in Senegal,” Olopade said, just as he urged the athletes to compete with pride, dignity and patriotism at the Games.

“We have selected you all to represent the country in your various sports because you represent the core crop of our future stars and I want you all to stay focused, disciplined and passionate about your careers,” Olopade said.
He assured them of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s fatherly commitment to their growth and development both in sports and their education. Some of the athletes flying Nigeria’s flag in Dakar are products of the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA), a programme launched by the NSC barely two years ago.

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics, which is being attended by a large crowd of over 2,700 athletes from various countries across the globe, will see Team Nigeria compete in six sports: athletics, boxing, road cycling, swimming, table tennis and beach volleyball.
The Games is holding across three host zones, Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly in Senegal.
The opening ceremony will hold this Saturday (October 31) at the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium, with competitions in table tennis and beach volleyball commencing immediately.

Track and field (Athletics) accounts for Nigeria’s largest contingent with nine athletes (five girl and four boy), swimming four athletes (two women and two men), table tennis two representatives (a boy and a girl), while Nigeria will also field one female boxer, one female road cyclist and a two-athlete women’s beach volleyball team.
The young athletes had a 21-day local camping programme in Abuja from October 9 to 29 before their departure to Dakar.