FG Dangles $3,000 Reward for Gold as Team Nigeria Set to Depart for Youth Olympics in Dakar
Duro Ikhazuagbe
As Team Nigeria athletes and officials brace up to depart for the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, the Federal Government
has announced cash rewards of $3,000 for every gold medallist.
Speaking at the send forth ceremony for the team in Abuja yesterday, the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, announced the incentives for the Dakar-bound athletes.
According to the NSC DG, any Nigerian athlete who also wins a silver medal will receive $2,500, while bronze medallist will earn $2,000.
Beyond the financial incentives, Olopade charged the young athletes to represent Nigeria with pride, discipline and patriotism at the historic competition, which will be the first Olympic event hosted on African soil.
He described the opportunity to compete in Dakar as an important milestone in the athletes’ careers, urging them to maximise the experience as they begins their journeys toward senior international competitions, including the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Olopade said he believes in the athletes going to represent Nigeria at the Youth Olympiad.
The Youth Olympics in Dakar is very historic, and you are making history by being part of the first Olympic Games to be held in Africa. This is why I am very confident that this Youth Olympics will mark the beginning of greatness for all of you,” Olopade stressed
He also assured the athletes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to their development, particularly in balancing their sporting ambitions with education.
Olopade noted that the Commission’s renewed emphasis on grassroots sports development was designed to identify and nurture young talents capable of representing Nigeria at major international competitions.
The NSC DG specifically highlighted the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) programme as part of the Commission’s talent development strategy, adding that the Youth Olympics would provide valuable international exposure for some of the programme’s beneficiaries.
The ceremony also featured the formal handover of Team Nigeria from the NSC to the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), with the athletes appearing in their national green-and-white kits ahead of their scheduled departure for Senegal tomorrow (Thursday).
Receiving the contingent, NOC President, Engr Habu Gumel, assured the Commission that the athletes would receive the necessary care and support throughout the competition.
Gumel also emphasised the importance of clean sport, expressing confidence that the Nigerian contingent would compete fairly and return home without compromising the principles of integrity and sportsmanship.
The 2026 Youth Olympic Games will take place in Dakar from October 31 to November 13, bringing together more than 2,700 young athletes from 205 countries to compete for medals and national honours.