Nigeria aims for 2030 Commonwealth Games

 With the idea of turning the African country into a sporting reference, the Ni­gerian Olympic Committee revealed this week in a statement that it has submitted an official Expression of Interest to host the centenary edition of the Games, a preliminary step before addressing an official bid.

The goal is to make Abuja, the Nigerian capital, the host of the multi-sport event. The document was delivered by the NOC to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), responsible for directing and overseeing the 2030 edition. If the initiative prospers and an official bid is submitted and wins, Nigeria would become the first African country to host these Games.

NOC spokesperson Tony Nezianya explained on Monday that the next steps to initiate a formal proposal depend on receiving the support of the federal government of Nigeria. Likewise, he expressed his enthusiasm at the hypothetical case of such a scenario occurring, as he believes Abuja would have a unique opportunity to showcase its development, improve its global position, and invigorate its sports culture.

It is worth remembering that the last time Nigeria hosted a major multi-sport tournament was in 2003, when the All-Africa Games were held precisely in the capital. The experience gained that year served to demonstrate the African nation’s skill in effectively organising large-scale international competitions.

To carry out the organisational work for the Games, it would be necessary to invest in all kinds of facilities, something that according to the NOC would not only revitalise the country’s sports economy but also leave lasting infrastructure for fu­ture generations. The bid would drive the construction and modernisation of venues, transport systems, and ac­commodation, a legacy that would be beneficial in the long term for both athletes and the general population.

To date, Nigeria has only once bid to host the Commonwealth Games, and that was in 2014, when the Scottish city of Glasgow won the process and became the host. This time, a point in favour of the Nigerian project is the scarcity of interested countries in recent years to host the Games. Notably, for the 2026 edition, the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as the original host citing a significant increase in costs, so it was replaced by Glasgow. A similar situation occurred in 2022, when Birmingham took the lead after Durban withdrew due to financial problems.

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