As Nigeria celebrates its 64th Independence Day, the past year in sports has been a mix of triumphs and setbacks. From October 1, 2023, to October 1, 2024, Nigerian athletes and teams experienced significant achievements on the international stage, but also faced some disappointing lows. Here’s a look at the highs and lows in Nigerian sports over the past year.
Highs in Nigerian Sports:
- Under-19 Women’s Cricket Team: Qualified for the World Cup, marking Nigeria’s second appearance at a cricket World Cup.
- Paralympics Success: Team Nigeria impressed at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, securing seven medals.
- Elizabeth Oshoba: UK-based Nigerian boxer became the first female Nigerian to win a world title.
- Ademola Lookman: Shone at the 2023 AFCON and scored a historic hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final, leading Atalanta to victory. He was also the only African out-field player nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
- Victor Osimhen & Asisat Oshoala: Crowned African Players of the Year for men and women in December 2023.
- AFCON 2023 Success: Nigeria secured a second-place finish at the tournament, with defender William Troost-Ekong named Player of the Tournament.
Lows in Nigerian Sports:
- Olympic Disappointment: Nigeria’s 88-man contingent failed to win any medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics, marking one of the country’s worst performances.
- Favour Ofili’s Olympic Exclusion: The sprinter was excluded from the women’s 100m event at the 2024 Olympics, following her disqualification in the 2020 Tokyo Games.
- Stadium Underutilization: Despite having numerous large stadiums, only the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo met CAF standards for hosting matches from 2023 to 2024.
- Golden Eaglets Struggles: Nigeria’s Under-17 football team, once a powerhouse, has failed to make an impact since 2017, missing out on the 2023 and 2025 editions of the tournament.
- Doping Bans: Nigerian athletes, including sprinter Divine Oduduru and boxer Cynthia Ogunseilore, faced doping violations. Oduduru received a six-year ban for multiple anti-doping rule breaches.
As the nation looks ahead, these highs and lows will shape the future of Nigerian sports, with hopes for further success and lessons learned from the setbacks.