Team Nigeria has officially commenced final preparations for the 24th African Senior Athletics Championships as the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) opened a national training camp at the Yabatech Sports Complex in Lagos ahead of the continental competition in Ghana.
The championship is scheduled to hold in Accra from May 12 to 17, 2026, with Nigeria set to parade a strong 51-athlete contingent featuring some of the country’s biggest track and field stars.
Leading the Nigerian squad is world record holder Tobi Amusan, who will be aiming to retain her African title in the women’s 100m hurdles after continuing her dominance on the continental stage in recent years.
The training camp officially opened on Wednesday as athletes who recently competed at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, arrived in Lagos to begin intensive preparations for the championships.
Officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria said the decision to move relay athletes directly into camp was designed to maintain momentum and strengthen team coordination ahead of the tournament.
According to AFN President Tonobok Okowa, the Nigerian delegation consists of 24 athletes who featured at the World Relays and 27 additional athletes invited to compete in individual track and field events.
Nigeria’s squad combines experienced international athletes with emerging talents expected to make an impact in Accra.
Among the athletes expected to attract attention are:
- Favour Ashe — men’s 100m and relay specialist
- Patience Okon-George — veteran 400m runner and relay athlete
- Samson Nathaniel — key member of Nigeria’s mixed relay squad
- Miracle Ezechukwu — one of the country’s emerging sprint prospects
Speaking during preparations, Ashe expressed confidence in the team’s readiness for the championships.
“Our goal in Accra is to maintain Nigeria’s dominance in African athletics,” he said. “The atmosphere in camp is positive, and everyone is focused on delivering strong performances.”
The competition will take place at the Legon Sports Stadium at the University of Ghana, marking the first time in more than four decades that Ghana will host the African Senior Athletics Championships.
More than 1,000 athletes from approximately 50 African countries are expected to participate in the event, making it one of the continent’s biggest sporting gatherings of the year.
The Nigerian team is expected to depart for Accra on May 10 alongside technical officials and federation administrators.
The AFN views the championships as a critical opportunity to reassert Nigeria’s dominance in African athletics while also preparing athletes for upcoming global competitions, including qualification events for future World Championships and Olympic tournaments.
Officials say particular emphasis is being placed on relay coordination, sprint execution, and field-event consistency as the country targets a strong finish on the medals table in Accra.
