Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, has issued a public apology following the country’s poor performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In a statement shared via social media, Enoh acknowledged that Team Nigeria’s performance “fell short of expectations,” marking the first time since 2012 that the nation failed to secure a single Olympic medal.
Despite President Bola Tinubu approving ₦12 billion for Nigeria’s participation in the Olympics and Paralympics, with ₦9 billion earmarked for the Olympics alone, the team returned home without any medals.
Enoh, who assumed office in August 2023, revealed that no groundwork had been laid for the Olympics when he began his tenure, despite the event being less than a year away. He initiated a progressive approach, requesting all National Sports Federations to submit their plans and programs, conducting nationwide inspections of sports facilities, and establishing a Ministerial Podium Performance Advisory Committee.
However, Enoh admitted that Nigeria’s preparations for Paris were limited to federations with “bright chances of qualifying for the Olympics.” He criticized these federations for prioritizing qualification over thorough preparation, noting that they “resisted and defended” their selections even after complaints were raised.
The minister assured the public that the sports ministry would thoroughly assess the failures of the Paris Olympics and work toward a better showing at the upcoming Paralympics. He stressed the need for lessons to be learned and improvements made, saying, “We deserve more… Let’s turn the disastrous outcome of the 2024 Olympics into a huge positive for Nigerian sports