Dakar 2026: Nigeria To Compete In Six Sports With 19 Athletes
By Saheed Afolabi
Nigeria will compete in six sports with a 19-athlete contingent at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games as preparations enter their final stage ahead of the opening ceremony on October 31 in Senegal.
The Nigerian team comprises 12 female and seven male athletes who will represent the country in athletics, boxing, road cycling, swimming, table tennis and beach volleyball at the global youth sporting competition.
The fourth edition of the Summer Youth Olympic Games will run until November 13, with Dakar 2026 making history as the first Olympic sporting event to be hosted on African soil.
Thousands of young athletes from across the world are expected to participate in the Games, which will be staged across three locations in Senegal: Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.
Athletics will provide Nigeria’s largest representation, with nine athletes comprising five women and four men.
Swimming will feature four Nigerian competitors, split equally between men and women, while table tennis will have two representatives, one male and one female.
Nigeria will also field a female boxer, a female road cyclist and a women’s beach volleyball team comprising two athletes.
The contingent is currently rounding off preparations following a 21-day national camping programme that began on October 9 and is scheduled to end on October 29.
The camp has covered medical examinations, anti-doping education, technical and tactical training, kit fitting, travel documentation and other logistical arrangements ahead of the team’s departure for Senegal.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for October 31 at the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium, with competitions in table tennis and beach volleyball also expected to commence on the opening day.
The Youth Olympic Games will provide Nigeria’s emerging talents with an opportunity to test their abilities against some of the world’s most promising young athletes while gaining valuable international experience.
The competition is also expected to contribute to the development of the country’s next generation of elite athletes as they work towards future senior-level championships and the Olympic Games.
With the opening ceremony approaching, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has urged Team Nigeria to convert its preparations into strong performances and represent the country with distinction at the historic event.
