By IDNN Sports Desk
Nigeria Olympic Committee President, Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel, has called for immediate preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, urging Team Nigeria to quickly build on its 24-medal performance at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Gumel made the call in his message marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, turning what could have been a ceremonial address into an early statement of Nigeria’s priorities for the next Olympic cycle.
Team Nigeria finished seventh overall at Glasgow 2026 and emerged as the highest-ranked African nation, winning 24 medals — 10 gold, seven silver and seven bronze.
For Gumel, however, the significance of that performance lies in what Nigeria does next.
“The journey to Los Angeles must begin now.”
The NOC President said Nigeria must move quickly to identify athletes with Olympic potential, strengthen their technical preparation and ensure they receive the competitive exposure required to perform at the highest level.
“Our eyes are now firmly set on Los Angeles 2028,” Gumel said.
“We are optimistic about Nigeria’s prospects and believe that the right preparation, discipline and support can translate our enormous talent into outstanding Olympic performances.”
Glasgow raises the expectation
Nigeria’s Glasgow campaign has increased expectations ahead of the next Olympic cycle.
The country’s 24-medal haul demonstrated the depth of talent available across several sports, but the challenge now shifts from Commonwealth Games success to Olympic conversion.
The Olympic Games present a broader and deeper global competitive field than the Commonwealth Games, making sustained preparation, technical development and international exposure even more important.
Gumel said the Glasgow result should therefore be treated as a platform for the next phase of Nigeria’s sporting programme rather than an end in itself.
He commended athletes, coaches, federations, technical officials, government agencies and other stakeholders involved in Nigeria’s Commonwealth Games campaign.
LA28 qualification race has already begun
Nigeria has already secured an early Los Angeles 2028 Olympic quota through women’s beach volleyball, with Esther Onyinye Mbah and Pamela Miyoum Bawa earning the country a place after their success at the African championship.
The qualification represents an early marker in what is expected to become a broader race for Olympic places across Nigeria’s sporting federations.
Gumel described the qualification as a significant milestone, saying it demonstrated what preparation, determination and opportunity could produce.
“We want to see more Nigerian athletes earn their places in Los Angeles, and we are committed to supporting that ambition.”
Qualification, however, is only the first stage of an Olympic campaign.
Athletes must also have access to quality coaching, sports science, international competition, training camps, medical support and stable funding if qualification is to translate into competitive performances at the Games.
That is the system Gumel believes must begin taking shape well before 2028.
Abuja 2027 becomes part of the pipeline
Beyond the elite Olympic programme, Gumel also pointed to the 2027 African School Games in Abuja as a major opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s athlete-development pathway.
Nigeria is scheduled to host the competition from August 2 to 11, 2027.
The NOC President said the Games should serve not only as a major continental sporting event but also as a platform for identifying young athletes capable of progressing into elite competition.
He said Nigeria intends to use the event to identify and nurture young talents who could become future Commonwealth and Olympic athletes.
That gives Nigerian sport a potentially important development sequence.
Glasgow 2026: elite-performance benchmark.
Abuja 2027: youth-development platform.
Los Angeles 2028: next global test.
Whether those stages eventually form part of a coherent national pathway will depend on how effectively federations, the Nigeria Olympic Committee, the National Sports Commission and other stakeholders align their programmes.
Funding remains central
Gumel also used his Independence message to call for greater private-sector involvement in Nigerian sport.
He argued that government funding alone would not be sufficient to build a sustainable high-performance system.
“The future of Nigerian sports belongs to all of us. Government cannot do it alone.”
Gumel said corporate Nigeria, sponsors, federations, coaches, parents and the wider sporting community must become more involved in investing in athletes and young people.
The statement places athlete funding and commercial participation firmly within the wider LA28 conversation.
Preparing athletes over a multi-year Olympic cycle requires significant financial commitment — not only during major tournaments, but throughout qualification, training, recovery, technical development and international competition.
Gumel also praised what he described as the Federal Government’s strong commitment to sports development and highlighted what he said was increased government investment in the sector through the National Sports Commission.
For the NOC, the next challenge will be converting that support into stable programmes capable of producing measurable Olympic outcomes.
From celebration to responsibility
Although Gumel’s message was delivered as part of Nigeria’s Independence Anniversary celebrations, its sporting message was ultimately forward-looking.
He urged Nigerians to continue using sport as a source of national unity, arguing that athletes routinely demonstrate what is possible when the country competes under one identity.
“Nigeria is greater than our differences. Our diversity is a strength.”
For Nigerian sport, however, the message also carries a harder implication.
Glasgow produced the medals.
Los Angeles will test whether Nigeria can turn a strong tournament into a sustained high-performance system.
The NOC President has now placed early preparation, athlete development, stronger technical support and broader stakeholder investment at the centre of the LA28 conversation.
The countdown, in that sense, has already begun.
