The Good and Bad of Nigerian Sports in 2024

Nigerian sports in 2024 were full of excitement and also faced some setbacks during the year. From the D’Tigress’ Olympic success to Ademola Lookman’s CAF African Player award and the Super Eagles securing the 2025 AFCON ticket were positive headlines for Nigerian sports. However, issues like poor administration, Favour Ofili’s Paris Olympics saga, and doping controversies overshadowed these successes.
Here, ANTHONY NLEBEM takes an x-ray of Nigerian sports in 2024, highlighting the good and bad moments.

THE GOOD

D’Tigress’s 2024 Olympic Success
Nigeria’s senior female basketball team, D’Tigress, made history by defeating Canada 79-70 to reach their first-ever quarterfinals at the Olympic Games in Paris, France. The victory marks a monumental achievement for Nigerian basketball, as the D’Tigress became the first African basketball team, male or female, to reach the Olympic quarterfinals. D’Tigress stunned world number three Australia in their opening game and secured an impressive victory against world number five in their final group match.

Rena Wakama’s Olympics Milestone
Rena Wakama, head coach of Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, etched her name in history as she was crowned the Best Coach in the women’s basketball event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Wakama’s Olympic triumph adds to her growing legacy, following her groundbreaking feat as the first coach to lead D’Tigress to an AfroBasket title since the competition’s inception in 1966.
Under her guidance, D’Tigress achieved a historic milestone by advancing to the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics basketball tournament—an unprecedented feat for the team. This marked the first time any African basketball team, male or female, reached the Olympic quarterfinal stage.

Read Also: Rena Wakama: Nigeria’s light in Olympic darkness

Ademola Lookman’s African Football Honour
Ademola Lookman carved his name into African football history by claiming the prestigious 2024 Africa Men’s Player of the Year award. Presented at a glamorous CAF Awards ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco, this esteemed honour recognises Lookman’s exceptional performances for Atalanta and the Nigerian national team throughout 2024.

Read Also: Ademola Lookman: From London to African Football King

Lookman’s remarkable hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final stands as a testament to his brilliance. Furthermore, his instrumental contributions to Nigeria’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign were pivotal, with three crucial goals and a key role in propelling Nigeria to a second-place finish.
His extraordinary performances garnered global recognition, culminating in a historic 14th-place finish in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings.

Nnadozie Back-to-Back CAF Goalkeeper of the Year Awards
Super Falcons goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, continued her dominance, securing the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award at the 2024 CAF Awards for an unprecedented second consecutive year.
Nnadozie’s exceptional performances on both the international and club stages solidified her position as Africa’s premier goalkeeper.

Read Also: From Grassroots to Glory: The remarkable rise of Chiamaka Nnadozie

Her stellar showings at the Olympics, where she showcased her incredible agility and shot-stopping prowess, further cemented her reputation. Moreover, her instrumental role in guiding Paris FC to a successful campaign in the UEFA Women’s Champions League highlighted her exceptional talent and unwavering dedication.

Super Eagles’ 2025 AFCON Ticket
The Super Eagles officially qualified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco after Rwanda suffered a 1-0 defeat to Libya in Kigali, effectively securing Nigeria’s place at the top of Group D.
In their subsequent match against Benin Republic at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Victor Osimhen scored a crucial late equalizer, resulting in a 1-1 draw. This goal solidified Nigeria’s position as Group D winners with 11 points, confirming their qualification for the 2025 AFCON with two games to spare.

THE BAD

Team Nigeria Paris Olympics’ Shame
Team Nigeria returned home empty-handed at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with no medals for the Nigerian contingent, marking a disappointing end to their campaign.
A total of 88 Nigerian athletes participated in 12 sports, including athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, canoeing, cycling, football, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, weightlifting, and wrestling.

Favour Ofili’s Olympics Omission
The Nigerian campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympics was also marred by controversy surrounding the omission of sprinter Favour Ofili from the women’s 100m event. This sparked outrage and prompted an investigation by a committee led by former Sports Minister Senator John Owan Enoh. The committee subsequently recommended that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) pay N8 million as compensation to Ofili for the distress and potential loss of opportunity caused by her exclusion from the 100m event.

Ese Ukpeseray’s Borrowed Bicycle
Nigerian cyclist Ese Ukpeseraye faced a potential Olympic setback when she arrived at the Paris 2024 Games without a suitable bicycle for her scheduled keirin and sprint events.
In a heartwarming display of sportsmanship, the German cycling team stepped in to lend Ukpeseraye a bike, ensuring her participation in the Games.
Ukpeseraye expressed her gratitude on social media, acknowledging the challenges she faced due to the short notice of her Olympic selection. She revealed on X that the limited timeframe left her without a track bike suitable for the demanding nature of the events.

D’Tigers 2025 AfroBasket Ouster
The D’Tigers suffered a significant setback in their 2025 AfroBasket qualifying campaign. The 2015 AfroBasket champions endured a disastrous start, losing their first three games in Tunisia.
Nigeria’s campaign began with an 82-89 defeat against Libya. This was followed by a disappointing 72-62 loss to Uganda. The team’s struggles continued in their third game, where they suffered a 78-62 blowout against Cape Verde.
These early defeats significantly impacted the D’Tigers’ chances of qualifying for the 2025 AfroBasket tournament.

Osimhen and Finidi Public Feud
A public feud erupted between Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen and former coach Finidi George, escalating tensions amidst the team’s disappointing performance in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Finidi in an interview, suggested that certain players were difficult to discipline. He claimed that Osimhen had opted out of two crucial World Cup qualifying matches despite being fit, accusing him of selectively choosing when to represent the national team.

Read Also: NFF, Finidi, and Osimhen’s outburst: What next for Nigeria’s football?

Angered by these accusations, Osimhen took to Instagram Live to express his frustration.
Nigeria currently languish in fifth place in Group C with only three points, significantly jeopardising their chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Doping Violation
Nigerian boxer Cynthia Ogunsemilore was banned from competing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after testing positive for furosemide, a prohibited diuretic, on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of banned substances. Ogunsemilore, a gold medalist at the African Games and a bronze medalist at the Commonwealth Games was found to have used the substance, which can be used to mask the presence of other performance-enhancing drugs.