Nigeria’s 2025: A Nation Of Champions, A System Of Near-Misses

By AUGUSTUS ISICHEI

The Cost of Greatness in a Country That Doesn’t Plan for It

Big Spending, Small Planning
NIGERIA entered 2025 with increased government investment through the National Sports Commission. But by year-end, the results showed a nation still struggling with an old contradiction: we fund tournaments, not the systems that win them.

Football’s Broken Ladder
The Super Eagles’ 2026 World Cup qualification collapse was spectacular. After beating Gabon 4–1 in Morocco, Nigeria drew 1–1 with DR Congo, then lost on penalties. The defeat extended Nigeria’s absence from the World Cup since 2018. The playoff in Morocco also exposed a damaging bonus dispute that distracted players mid-campaign, reigniting questions about federation leadership, preparation and national sporting governance.

Athletics Ran Out of Administration Before It Ran Out of Speed
Tobi Amusan’s World Championships silver was proof that Nigeria still breeds world-class athletes. But the exit of Favour Ofili to Turkey—after missing World Relays entries and facing repeated administrative oversights—showed that Nigeria’s biggest opponent on the track was not another flag. It was paperwork.

Hosting Without Harvesting
Nigeria hosted major competitions—the U18/U20 Athletics Championships in Abeokuta, five consecutive table tennis tournaments in Lagos, and the first West African Para Games in Ogun. They were proud moments. But hosting is not legacy unless athletes are systematically developed to benefit from the platforms built for them.

Para-Sport Saved Nigeria’s Global Standing
One of the most significant but under-reported successes was Nigeria finishing as the second-best nation at the World Para Powerlifting Championships in Egypt, winning 11 medals. Para-sport delivered where many mainstream systems collapsed, again proving that Nigeria succeeds most where athletes build their own momentum.

The Human Cost of Improvisation
The deaths of 22 Kano athletes on the road back from the National Sports Festival and the fatal accident involving Anthony Joshua—where he survived but two people died—cast a grim shadow on a year where Nigerian sport often felt like a relay without a baton plan.

Verdict
2025 confirmed something critical: Nigeria’s greatness is real. But the cost is rising because planning for it remains inconsistent.