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Nigeria’s athletics team has reached the final phase of its preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) Head Coach Solomon Aliyu declaring the squad 95 per cent ready to challenge for honours in Glasgow.
Speaking from the team’s training camp in Aberdeen, Scotland, Aliyu told AFN media of his satisfaction with the athletes’ progress, saying preparations have gone according to plan and the camp has remained free of injuries.
“The team is about 95 per cent ready for the Games. The athletes are in Aberdeen for the final phase of preparations and everything is going according to plan,” Aliyu said.
He noted that the athletes earned their places on merit through impressive performances, describing the contingent as Nigeria’s strongest across the various track and field events.
Aliyu also praised the National Sports Commission (NSC) for providing what he described as a world-class preparation programme, adding that the Aberdeen camp has created the ideal environment for the athletes to fine-tune their performances.
“The preparation put in place by the National Sports Commission has been first-class. The training camp in Aberdeen has provided the athletes with the right environment to prepare effectively, and we are grateful for the support,” he said.
The veteran coach revealed that the camp has recorded no injuries, attributing the positive development to the efforts of the medical team, coaches and support staff in keeping the athletes in peak physical and mental condition.
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Drawing from his experience at previous Commonwealth Games, Aliyu urged the athletes to remain disciplined and mentally strong, insisting that success at the Games requires more than physical fitness.
“Stay focused, trust the preparation process, and compete with confidence. When the time comes, give your very best and represent Nigeria with pride and determination,” he charged.
Aliyu disclosed that while most members of the athletics team are already in camp, a few athletes are completing international competitions across Europe before joining the squad in Scotland.
Looking beyond Glasgow 2026, the AFN head coach called for sustained investment in grassroots athletics, stressing the need for regular talent identification programmes and competitions across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said Nigeria possesses an abundance of athletic talent but urged stakeholders to expand opportunities that will enable gifted youngsters to be discovered, nurtured and developed into future international champions.
Team Nigeria’s athletics contingent is expected to play a key role in the country’s medal quest when the Commonwealth Games begin in Glasgow.
