Nigeria’s Athletics Faces Shake-Up as Foreign-Born Stars Join and Others Leave

Nigeria’s athletics landscape is witnessing a significant transformation as a new generation of overseas-born athletes begins representing the country, even as several established stars opt to compete for other nations.

Leading the departures is sprinter Favour Ofili, who recently switched allegiance to Turkey, citing frustrations with team selection and administrative delays in Nigeria. Others, including Favour Ashe, Sunday Akintan, and quarter-miler Emmanuel Bamidele, have chosen to compete under foreign flags, signaling a continued trend of Nigerian talent exploring opportunities abroad.

At the same time, Nigeria is seeing an influx of athletes with Nigerian heritage born abroad. Jami Schlueter, eligible through his mother, has already made headlines by setting a new national heptathlon record. American-born sprinter Kelly Ufodioma and youth shot put record-holder Jessica Oji are among the newcomers adding depth to the national team. Divine Oladipo, a discus and shot put specialist from the UK, has also returned to compete for Nigeria and is expected to feature prominently in upcoming competitions.

This mix of exits and arrivals highlights both the challenges and opportunities facing Nigerian athletics: while losing top performers overseas may affect short-term competitiveness, the arrival of promising global talent offers fresh hope for the country’s sporting future.