Nigeria Eyes 2030 World Athletics U20 Championships as NSC DG Meets World Athletics
Oru Leonard
Budapest, Hungary: Nigeria has intensified its ambition to host the 2030 World Athletics U20 Championships as the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, held discussions with officials of World Athletics in Budapest, Hungary.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships, which got underway in Budapest on Saturday.
Olopade used the engagement to reaffirm Nigeria’s interest in hosting the global junior athletics championship, stressing the country’s readiness to provide a world-class sporting environment, quality facilities, warm hospitality and the organisational capacity required for a successful international event.
He said Nigeria’s increasing investment in sports infrastructure, athlete development and event management had strengthened the country’s capacity to assume greater responsibilities on the international sporting stage.
The NSC DG also highlighted Nigeria’s successful hosting of the 2025 CAA Africa U20/U18 Athletics Championships in Abeokuta, Ogun State, as evidence of the country’s ability to stage major athletics competitions.
Nigeria stepped in at short notice to host the continental championship in July 2025, attracting delegations from more than 40 African countries and close to 1,000 athletes, officials and other participants to Abeokuta.
According to Olopade, the successful event demonstrated Nigeria’s hospitality, organisational capacity and strong passion for athletics, while providing a solid foundation for the country’s bid to host the World Athletics U20 Championships in 2030.
The engagement with World Athletics is part of the NSC’s broader strategy to deepen Nigeria’s relationship with international sports governing bodies and position the country as a preferred destination for major global sporting events.
The Commission is expected to build on Nigeria’s recent experience in hosting international competitions as it pursues opportunities to bring more prestigious global sporting events to the country.
(Kola Daniel, S.A. Media to DG NSC, September 12, 2026)
