National Boxing Week will be held from March 1–6, 2026, at the Brai Ayonote Boxing Complex, National Stadium, Lagos, and will feature the National Open Trials to select Team Nigeria’s representatives for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

The week-long event is being staged in alignment with the merit-driven reforms championed by the National Sports Commission, with the Federation positioning the trials as a transparent and inclusive pathway to national selection.

The arrival of diaspora-based athletes, alongside their home-based counterparts, signals renewed confidence in the Federation’s commitment to fairness and global competitiveness. The National Open Trials will provide an equal platform for all eligible Nigerian boxers — regardless of where they are based- to compete for the opportunity to represent the country.

Vice President of the Federation, Omonlei Imadu, described the development as a positive turning point for the sport.

“This is a new era for Nigerian boxing. The fact that our foreign-based athletes are returning home to compete speaks volumes about the credibility of the process we are building. Selection for the Commonwealth Games will be fierce, but it will be fair and strictly based on merit,” Imadu said.

The trials will feature ten weight categories across the men’s and women’s divisions. Affiliated clubs, state associations, institutions, and eligible Nigerian boxers worldwide are expected to present one boxer per weight category, ensuring a broad-based and competitive field.

Beyond competition inside the ring, National Boxing Week will incorporate developmental and governance-focused activities. A joint seminar for referees and coaches will be held to enhance technical standards, while orientation sessions for athletes will focus on discipline, professionalism, and international best practices.

Stakeholder engagements are also scheduled as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s domestic boxing ecosystem and foster collaboration across the sport’s administrative and competitive structures.

In a landmark modernisation drive, the Federation will unveil new digital initiatives during the week, including an automated licensing system and enhanced digital governance infrastructure aimed at improving transparency, athlete management, and administrative efficiency.

The event will also celebrate the legacy of Nigerian boxing icon Hogan ‘Kid’ Bassey, whose historic achievements on the global stage brought international acclaim to Nigeria and remain a source of inspiration for emerging talents.

With competition, reform, and heritage woven into its programme, National Boxing Week is being positioned as a defining chapter in the resurgence of Nigerian boxing, a platform where history meets renewal, and merit determines who earns the right to wear the green and white at Glasgow 2026.

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Nigeria’s latest attempt to host the Commonwealth Games has collapsed—again—and this time, the defeat to Ahmedabad for the 2030 Centenary Games feels less like a surprise and more like the inevitable outcome of years of unaddressed structural weaknesses.

What many framed as a competitive two-horse race between Abuja and the Indian city was, in reality, a mismatch from the beginning. For Nigeria, the failure was a disaster long in the making.

Ahmedabad was officially ratified as host on Wednesday at the 2025 Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow, with all 74 member nations throwing their weight behind India’s bid.

The evaluation committee had already recommended Ahmedabad ahead of Abuja last month, signaling where the wind was blowing. Five countries initially showed interest, but only two made it to the final shortlist—and Nigeria still finished a distant second.

Nigeria’s failure can be hinged on many factors. Some are enumerated thus:

Chronic Infrastructure Deficit

Nigeria once again walked into a global bidding war without the infrastructure muscle to compete. While Abuja proposed upgrades and new developments, Ahmedabad arrived with a near-complete sports ecosystem: the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, the Narendra Modi Stadium complex, and an entire city restructuring effort already in motion.
The contrast was painful—and decisive.

A country that can boast of only one reliably functional stadium for international football cannot realistically expect to become a preferred destination for a global multi-sport event.

The contrast is striking: what the City of Rabat possesses in sports infrastructure, Nigeria as an entire nation does not have a fraction of.

The centrepiece of Nigeria’s 2030 Commonwealth Games bid, the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, was meant to serve as the iconic gateway for visitors arriving from the airport—an architectural symbol announcing Nigeria’s readiness. Instead, the first impression is one of neglect.

The stadium’s surroundings, which should greet guests with manicured lawns and vibrant greenery, are overgrown with weeds. Ironically, this same complex houses the offices of the country’s apex sports governing body.

For the Commonwealth evaluation committee, the message was impossible to miss. The very site that was supposed to showcase Nigeria’s preparedness instead offered a visual summary of the country’s infrastructural decay. It was more than enough for the inspectors to reach a logical and unavoidable conclusion.

Weak Guarantees and Uncertain Funding

Global sports bodies want certainty, not hope. India provided airtight federal and state guarantees, leaving no room for doubt about financing or execution.
Nigeria, on the other hand, offered assurances that were overshadowed by years of fluctuating sports budgets, political instability, and unclear long-term commitments. It was a red flag the Commonwealth could not ignore.

Poor Organisational Track Record

While India has consistently delivered major global events in recent years—Commonwealth Games 2010, FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017, Cricket World Cup 2023—Nigeria’s last major multi-sport outing was the All-Africa Games in 2003. Successive bids for Africa Cup of Nations for 2010, 2012, as well as joint bids with Benin Republic 2025 and 2027 all failed.

Two decades without hosting a global event speaks volumes. The world has moved on; Nigeria hasn’t.

Even then, the Local Organising Committee, styled in French acronym of Comité d’Organisation de la Jeux Africains (COJA) projected itself above the host city of Abuja. Hence, the Games are better known and remembered as “COJA Games” rather than Abuja 2003.

A Vision Gap Nigeria Could Not Bridge

Ahmedabad’s pitch was bold, future-focused, and aligned with the 2030 Centenary theme. India promised to “lay the foundation for the next 100 years of the Commonwealth Games,” with digital innovation, commercial sustainability, and long-term legacy projects.
Abuja’s bid, in comparison, lacked the grand narrative and forward-looking ambition needed to sway nations focused on legacy and relevance in a changing sports world.

 Security and Logistics—The Unspoken Deal Breakers

Regardless of diplomatic language, member nations remain concerned about Nigeria’s security perception, transportation systems, and accommodation shortfalls. These issues consistently undermine Nigeria’s credibility whenever it competes for global hosting rights.

Administrative Disarray at Home

Frequent leadership changes, unclear bidding structures, and late-stage preparations have become the unfortunate signature of Nigeria’s international sports bids.
Against Ahmedabad’s unified, well-coordinated bid team backed by national and state governments, Nigeria’s internal inconsistencies stood no chance.

What Ahmedabad Offered—and Nigeria Couldn’t Match

The 2030 Commonwealth Games will feature 15 to 17 sports, expanding from the reduced 10-sport programme of Glasgow 2026. Core events like athletics, swimming, weightlifting, and table tennis are confirmed, with additional sports—T20 cricket, 3×3 basketball, beach volleyball, hockey, shooting, squash, judo, triathlon, wrestling, and more—under consideration.
India positioned the Games as a commercial and developmental catalyst for the next century. That clarity resonated.

A Country Running on Hope, Not Strategy

Nigeria’s recurring failures in global hosting bids share a common thread: wishful ambition unsupported by long-term planning. Abuja’s 2030 loss mirrors the 2014 defeat to Glasgow, yet the underlying issues remain unchanged.

Nigeria wants to host the world—but refuses to build, fund, and sustain the systems required to earn that trust.

Until the nation confronts the uncomfortable truths behind this latest defeat, future bids—whether for the Commonwealth Games, the Olympics, or any global mega-event—will continue to end the same way.

Another loss. Another introspection. Another disaster that had always been waiting to happen. If Nigeria is to eventually host the Commonwealth Games—or any global multi-sport event—it must confront the structural and credibility issues that continue to undermine each bid.

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The team is led by Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, and the Commission’s Director General, Bukola Olopade, who are set to present Nigeria’s final case before the Games’ decision-makers on Wednesday.

Dikko had delivered Nigeria’s preliminary pitch last month, laying the foundation for this week’s crucial engagements. If successful, the bid would make Nigeria the first African nation to host the Commonwealth Games since the event’s inception in 1930.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has repeatedly reaffirmed the Federal Government’s full backing for the bid, assuring the international sporting community that Nigeria is ready to deliver a world-class Games.

Only last week, the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, joined other senior government officials in welcoming the Commonwealth Games Bid Evaluation team during their inspection visit to Nigeria.

Further demonstrating the administration’s commitment, the President’s Special Assistant on Public Communication and Presidential Spokesperson, Sunday Dare, is part of the London delegation.

Other members of the Nigerian contingent include Bid Coordinator Mainasara Ilo; President of the Nigerian Olympic Committee, Habu Gumel; Minister of Arts and Culture, Hannatu Musawa; five-time Olympian and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Mary Onyali; and current para-badminton world number one, Eniola Bolaji.

Nigeria’s 2030 bid is anchored on themes of inclusivity, legacy, and development, with promises to stage a Games that not only reflects the Commonwealth spirit but also creates lasting opportunities for sport, culture, and youth empowerment across Africa.

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NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko and Director General Bukola Olopade reaffirmed the Federal Government’s determination to secure the hosting rights for the 2030 Games, describing the bid as a landmark opportunity for Africa and a historic milestone for Nigeria.

Dikko stressed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has thrown his full weight behind the bid, highlighting it as a platform to showcase Nigeria’s growing influence in global sports.

“We are delighted to welcome the Evaluation Committee to Abuja as a sign of our seriousness,” Dikko said.

 “President Tinubu sees the Commonwealth Games as more than just an event; it will be a celebration of Africa’s sporting passion and Nigeria’s role as a continental leader.”

Olopade added that Nigeria’s bid is built on four critical pillars—modern facilities, political will, private sector support, and strong public enthusiasm.

He noted that the Bid Committee, led by veteran sports administrator Mainasara Illo, has prepared a “robust document” to strengthen Nigeria’s case.

“With our preparations, engagements, and strong government backing, we are confident Nigeria can win the right to host the Games,” Olopade said.

Underscoring government commitment, the delegation was hosted at the Presidential Villa by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, alongside nine Federal Executive Council members, including Minister of Youth Ayodele Olawande, Minister of Culture and Creative Economy Hannatu Musa Musawa, and Minister of Women Affairs Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim.

The visiting delegation, led by Darren Hall, Director of Games and Assurance at the Commonwealth Sport, included Ann-Louise Morgan, CS Director of Sport, and Ezera Tshabangu, Regional Development Manager for Africa and Europe.

Nigeria’s bid, if successful, would make the 2030 Commonwealth Games the first ever to be hosted on African soil, fulfilling a long-standing call for inclusivity in the Commonwealth sporting family.

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The earlier bid was made to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the amalgamation. This amalgamation joined the Northern and Southern Protectorates with the Lagos Colony to form Nigeria.

Sports Village Square has gathered that South Africa, through its Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), is making a bid and is merely waiting for cabinet approval.

The country intends to use the Commonwealth Games of 2030 as a dress rehearsal for the bigger Olympic Games.

According to the SASCOC president, Barry Hendricks, the 2030 Commonwealth Games hosting will be part of the learning curve for the Olympics. “… it teaches us what we can do over the next eight years to get to 2040.”

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The country had earlier in 2007 bid for the 2014 Games which could have marked the 100th anniversary of the country following the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates with the Lagos Colony to form Nigeria.

That bid was spearheaded by General Yakubu Gowon, former Head of State and a respected person in the Commonwealth of Nations.

The project which was constructed as an “African Bid” failed following the award to Glasgow.

Another bid has reopened as the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) announced it had met the deadline to express interest in hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Abuja.

The new bid has not secured the necessary government backing. An NOC press release stated that Nigeria can only commence a formal bid if the Federal Government backs the project.

The NOC noted that Nigeria’s bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Abuja will present a unique opportunity to showcase its development, enhance its global standing, and invigorate its sports culture.

“A bid process would enhance an investment in sports infrastructure as bidding for the Games can catalyse investments in sports infrastructure and facilities across the country, particularly in Abuja, which can revitalise the local sports economy and improve national sports facilities for future generations,” the statement read.

But with the spate of countries with stronger economies withdrawing from the hosting of the Commonwealth, it is doubtful if the Nigeria bid will achieve success.

Most of the sporting facilities are in ruins leading to the country being confined only to the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo as the only arena considered good enough to host international matches of both CAF and FIFA.

The cost of hosting is also another issue leading to some countries stepping down after a successful bid. Victoria in Australia was awarded the 2026 Games but announced withdrawal in July 2023 owing to the high cost of hosting a 12-day multidiscipline sports fiesta. Glasgow which stepped in as a replacement announced a smaller scale of hosting.

South African city of Durban initially won the bid to host the 2022 Games when the rights were awarded in 2015. It withdrew and the Games were rescheduled for Birmingham.

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Among the sports to be axed from the programme are badminton, cricket, hockey and rugby sevens.

The Games, which will run from July 23 to Aug. 2 in 2026, will feature 10 sports across four venues – athletics, swimming, artistic gymnastics, track cycling, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and 3×3 basketball.

It will also feature para sports including athletics, swimming, track cycling and wheelchair basketball.

“Glasgow 2026 will have all the drama, passion and joy that we know the Commonwealth Games delivers even if it is to be lighter and leaner than some previous editions,” Commonwealth Games Scotland chief executive Jon Doig said.

“It will be more accessible, delivered on a smaller footprint which brings our fans closer to the sporting action.”

Glasgow also hosted the event in 2014 and Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) CEO Katie Sadleir said the legacy of that edition would provide sporting, transport and accommodation infrastructure, as well as world-class venues and expertise.

The Games were originally slated for Victoria but the state withdrew as host in 2023 due to rising costs. Malaysia briefly considered an offer to stage the event but rejected it in March citing time constraints as well as costs and funding issues.

Glasgow stepped in as a back-up venue in April and the Scottish government backed the bid to host a scaled-down version, with the CGF offering 100 million pounds ($130 million) in supporting funds.

Commonwealth Games Australia has also committed to a multimillion pound investment to help the Glasgow bid.

Five of the previous six editions of the Games were held in Australia or Britain and questions continue to swirl about their relevance, with top athletes often electing to skip them.

Canada’s Alberta province last year withdrew its support for a bid for the 2030 Games and the CGF has yet to find a host for the centenary edition of the event.

-Reuters

Nigeria became a geographical entity 0n 1 January 1914 when the northern part and Southern part as well as the Lagos Colony were amalgamated.

The 2014 Games were awarded to Scotland which is now likely to use the same facilities for the troubled 2026 edition following the withdrawal of Australian state of Victoria as hosts.

Glasgow commissioned a feasibility study in December. Estimates suggest Scotland could run the event for between £130m and £150m – with the potential to bring more than £100m into the economy.

Existing sports facilities like the Emirates Arena would be used again instead of new builds, and competitors would be housed in local hotels rather than an athletes’ village.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has said it will provide £100m for the chosen host nation, with the remaining budget funded by ticket sales and broadcasting rights.

The usual programme, however, would need to be cut down to between 10 and 13 events.

Malaysia has rejected an offer to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to uncertainty over costs and insufficient funding offered, its government said on Friday, in a major setback for the quadrennial multi-sport event.

Malaysia was asked to step in after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as host, citing ballooning costs, with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) offering 100 million pounds ($126 million) in supporting funds.

Malaysia ruling itself out raises the possibility that the Games may not take place for the first time since being cancelled due to the Second World War.

The funding offered was not enough, officials said, and Malaysia could not commit to hosting the event at such short notice and with little time to assess the potential economic impact.

“If we had a longer time, we would definitely do it, but because there’s such a short time, we definitely can’t do it,” government spokesperson and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil told a regular briefing.

“When we assessed the viability of hosting the Games, the length of time needed and the cost was seen to be particularly prohibitive.”

The London-based CGF did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on Malaysia declining its offer.

The youth and sports ministry said the 100 million pounds funding it had offered would not be enough to cover the costs of hosting a large-scale sports event.

“Additionally, the economic impact could not be identified in this short timeframe,” it said in a statement.

RELEVANCE QUESTIONED

The Games are typically contested by about 70 countries and territories of the former British empire and medals tables have in recent editions been dominated by Australia, England, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa.

Victoria’s withdrawal had already placed the future of the event in doubt and raised questions about whether a Games with colonial origins was still relevant in the modern era, and over its place in an already packed global sporting calendar.

The Games has struggled to find a willing host in recent years and five of the last six editions have been held in Australia or Britain.

The English city of Birmingham, which had been due to host in 2026, stepped in to save the 2022 event after South Africa were stripped of hosting rights over a lack of progress in preparations.

Birmingham’s move led to the CGF scrambling to find another host for 2026 and Victoria had been the only viable candidate after several other cities withdrew from the bidding process over cost issues.

The proposal had received a mixed response in Malaysia, which hosted the 1998 edition, due to concerns about costs and the lack of preparation time.

The Malaysian Olympic Council had this week proposed holding a downsized Games, with limited spending on athletes’ accommodations and smaller opening and closing ceremonies.

-Reuters

Malaysia has rejected an offer to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to uncertainty over costs and insufficient funding offered, its government said on Friday, in a major setback for the quadrennial multi-sport event.

Malaysia was asked to step in after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as host, citing ballooning costs, with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) offering 100 million pounds ($126 million) in supporting funds.

Malaysia ruling itself out raises the possibility that the Games may not take place for the first time since being cancelled due to the Second World War.

The funding offered was not enough, officials said, and Malaysia could not commit to hosting the event at such short notice and with little time to assess the potential economic impact.

“If we had a longer time, we would definitely do it, but because there’s such a short time, we definitely can’t do it,” government spokesperson and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil told a regular briefing.

“When we assessed the viability of hosting the Games, the length of time needed and the cost was seen to be particularly prohibitive.”

The London-based CGF did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on Malaysia declining its offer.

The youth and sports ministry said the 100 million pounds funding it had offered would not be enough to cover the costs of hosting a large-scale sports event.

“Additionally, the economic impact could not be identified in this short timeframe,” it said in a statement.

RELEVANCE QUESTIONED

The Games are typically contested by about 70 countries and territories of the former British empire and medals tables have in recent editions been dominated by Australia, England, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa.

Victoria’s withdrawal had already placed the future of the event in doubt and raised questions about whether a Games with colonial origins was still relevant in the modern era, and over its place in an already packed global sporting calendar.

The Games has struggled to find a willing host in recent years and five of the last six editions have been held in Australia or Britain.

The English city of Birmingham, which had been due to host in 2026, stepped in to save the 2022 event after South Africa were stripped of hosting rights over a lack of progress in preparations.

Birmingham’s move led to the CGF scrambling to find another host for 2026 and Victoria had been the only viable candidate after several other cities withdrew from the bidding process over cost issues.

The proposal had received a mixed response in Malaysia, which hosted the 1998 edition, due to concerns about costs and the lack of preparation time.

The Malaysian Olympic Council had this week proposed holding a downsized Games, with limited spending on athletes’ accommodations and smaller opening and closing ceremonies.

-Reuters