International Olympic Committee (IOC) member and former marathon world record holder Paul Tergat is scheduled to arrive in Lagos on Wednesday ahead of the two-day World Athletics African Running Conference, which begins on Thursday.

Tergat, one of Africa’s most celebrated distance runners, will be accompanied by his social media manager, Gloria Tergat, as preparations intensify for the high-profile continental forum.

The World Athletics African Running Conference is expected to attract leading figures in global and African athletics and will serve as a curtain-raiser to this year’s Lagos Marathon, which takes place on Saturday on a newly designed route.

Meanwhile, arrivals have already begun ahead of the conference. Late on Sunday night, Neelkaunt Bhujuu, Technical Director of the Mauritius Athletics Association, became the first of many international delegates expected in Lagos for the event.

Organisers say scores of athletics administrators, technical experts and road-running stakeholders from across Africa and beyond are expected to arrive in the coming days, as Lagos once again positions itself as a hub for road running and athletics development on the continent.

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The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the World Athletics African Running Conference, Chief Solomon Ogba, has declared that Nigeria is on the cusp of emerging as Africa’s leading destination for road races.

Speaking ahead of the highly anticipated African Running Conference, scheduled for Lagos from February 12–13, 2026, the renowned sports administrator said the country is steadily reclaiming its status as a sporting powerhouse, driven by the growing success and viability of road races across Nigeria.

Ogba described the forthcoming conference as a strong endorsement of Nigeria’s progress in staging world-class marathon events.

“We are making significant progress in road races, and the entire world is aware of this. That is why I am very excited about the upcoming Running Conference in Lagos,” he said.

He explained that the conference will convene leading experts and key stakeholders from across the globe, creating a unique platform for strategic engagement and collaboration.

“It will be a gathering of the best minds in road running—from the world governing body to African authorities and key industry players—all working together to further shape the fast-growing road-running landscape in Nigeria and across Africa,” Ogba added.

As excitement continues to build across the continent, Lagos is once again poised to become the centre of global attention in athletics.

The conference will be followed by the 11th edition of the Platinum Label Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, scheduled for February 14, 2026. The race has continued to gain international recognition and prestige, firmly establishing itself as one of Africa’s largest and most prominent road races.

The African Running Conference is designed to promote the long-term sustainability of road races in Africa while fostering the organic development of world-class marathon events across the continent.

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Team Nigeria’s impressive performance at the Riyadh 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games was the product of meticulous planning and improved athlete welfare, according to Deputy Chef-de-Mission Yussuf Amuda Alli.

Alli, who also serves as CEO of the National Sports Commission’s Elite and Podium Board, praised the leadership of NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko and Director General Bukola Olopade for implementing a “people-first” strategy that transformed the athletes’ morale and output.

He said the Commission prioritised comfort, motivation and financial stability throughout the Games — from creating a conducive camp environment to ensuring prompt payment of allowances and bonuses. A new instant reward system for medal winners, he added, injected fresh competitiveness and commitment into the team.

“The moment you win a gold medal, you get $1,000; silver medalists get $500, bronze medalists $300. Camp allowances and other incentives were promptly paid, and that was why Team Nigeria’s participation at the Games was rancour-free,” Alli noted.

Nigeria went on to deliver its best-ever outing at the Islamic Solidarity Games, winning 30 medals — eleven gold, twelve silver and seven bronze — from only 34 athletes.

Weightlifting led the charge with six gold, four silver and three bronze medals, followed by athletics with two gold, four silver and three bronze. Wrestling added two gold and two silver medals, while powerlifting won one gold. Boxing secured one silver, para athletics one silver, and taekwondo one bronze.

The historic feat represented a dramatic turnaround for Nigeria. The country failed to win any medal at its debut in Mecca in 2005, while the second edition in Tehran was cancelled. Nigeria returned empty-handed from Palembang 2013, before collecting six medals in Baku 2017 and five medals in Konya 2021.

Alli, a former international athlete and team captain, said the new welfare system has permanently addressed a long-standing challenge.

“The issue of athletes complaining about bonuses, allowances and rewards has been banished forever. The Chairman and the DG’s ‘Athlete First’ policy is one of the best developments in our sports in recent years,” he said.

Looking ahead, Alli expressed confidence that Nigeria will build on the Riyadh momentum as preparations intensify for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“Already, I have sat down with the Chairman and the DG, and we have outlined plans that will ensure we succeed at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Execution has already started, and I am confidently assuring Nigerians that our participation in Glasgow will be our best ever,” he concluded.

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