Joel Ajayi
The National Sports Commission (NSC) has commended the Nigeria Aquatics Federation and Team Nigeria athletes for their performances at the 17th Africa Aquatics Championships held in Oran, Algeria from May 5–10, 2026.
Team Nigeria concluded the championships with a haul of three bronze medals, alongside several remarkable performances and continental recognition that further underline the rapid growth of aquatics sports in the country.
Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, praised the athletes, coaches, and the federation for making Nigeria proud on the continental stage.
“This performance is another strong indication that Nigerian sports is on the rise across different disciplines. We are proud of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation, the athletes, coaches, and every stakeholder who contributed to this achievement in Algeria.”
“Winning medals is commendable, but receiving the award as the Fastest Developing Federation in Africa clearly shows that the reforms, investments, and strategic support championed under the leadership of our Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, myself, in collaboration with our Federations are producing tangible results.”
One of the major highlights of the championships came through Nigeria’s rising swimming sensation, India Kate Brown, who secured two bronze medals for the country in the Girls’ 100m and 200m Butterfly events. Brown posted an impressive time of 1:05.73 in the 100m Butterfly and 2:29.01 in the 200m Butterfly to earn her place on the podium.
In the Senior Men’s 100m Butterfly final, Collins Ebinga delivered a strong performance to finish 5th with a time of 54.92 seconds after a highly competitive race.
In a major milestone at the closing ceremony, the Nigeria Aquatics Federation received the prestigious award for the Fastest Developing Federation in Africa from governing body, Africa Aquatics. The recognition reflects Nigeria’s rapid progress in the sport, improved international competitiveness, and sustained commitment to athlete development and technical advancement.
“The future of aquatics in Nigeria is very bright. We will continue to support federations that are committed to athlete development, grassroots growth, technical excellence, and international competitiveness,” Hon. Olopade said.
The continental recognition validates the transformation currently taking place in Nigerian swimming. In previous years, Nigeria rarely featured prominently on the African aquatics medal table. However, through renewed investments, strategic reforms, and consistent support from the National Sports Commission, the sport has continued to witness historic progress.
The Aquatics Federation expressed appreciation to the National Sports Commission for its support that made Nigeria’s campaign successful
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