As the 2026 Commonwealth Games draw closer, with Glasgow, Scotland set to host the Games from July 23 to August 2, Team Nigeria will once again parade some of the finest athletes on the global stage. Here are some of Nigeria’s biggest stars to watch (just the first part).
Tobi Amusan
With just a few weeks to the Games, Tobi Amusan laid down the gauntlet for her rivals by storming to victory at the Paris Diamond League in the women’s 100m hurdles, equalling her season’s best of 12.27 seconds.
At the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Amusan successfully defended the title she won in 2018, capturing her second consecutive Commonwealth gold in the 100m hurdles with a new Games record of 12.30 seconds. She also powered Nigeria’s women’s 4×100m relay team to gold. The reigning world record holder will undoubtedly be one of the biggest attractions in Glasgow.
Folashade Oluwafemiayo
Folashade Oluwafemiayo will lead Team Nigeria into the Games as captain. Widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest para powerlifters, she has won multiple Paralympic, World Championship and Commonwealth titles while setting several world records. A four-time world champion and two-time Paralympic gold medallist, Oluwafemiayo struck gold at the 2021 World Para Powerlifting Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, where she also set a world record lift of 152.5kg. She successfully claimed Commonwealth gold in the heavyweight category at Birmingham 2022 and will once again be among Nigeria’s brightest medal hopes.
Ese Brume
One of Africa’s greatest long jumpers, Ese Brume has consistently delivered on the biggest stages. She is an Olympic bronze medallist (Tokyo 2020), a two-time World Championships medallist (bronze in Doha 2019 and silver in Eugene 2022), and the 2022 Commonwealth Games champion, where she set a new Games record with a leap of 7.00m. Brume is also the African record holder in the women’s long jump with a personal best of 7.17m, making her the first African woman to surpass the 7.15m mark. A multiple African champion and one of Nigeria’s most decorated field athletes, she remains one of the favourites to retain her Commonwealth crown in Glasgow.
Rafiatu Lawal
Rafiatu Lawal has established herself as one of Africa’s finest weightlifters. She is a two-time African Games gold medallist (Rabat 2019 and Accra 2024). At the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, she shattered the record books by setting new Commonwealth Games records in the Snatch (90kg), Clean & Jerk (116kg), and Total (206kg).
Lawal enjoyed another remarkable season in 2026, winning gold at the African Weightlifting Championships in Ismailia, Egypt. She also etched her name into Nigerian sporting history by becoming the first Nigerian weightlifter to win three medals at a single IWF World Championships, claiming silver in the Snatch, Clean & Jerk and Total. She heads to Glasgow determined to defend her Commonwealth title.
Samuel Ogazi
At just 20 years old, Samuel Ogazi has rapidly emerged as one of the brightest quarter-milers in world athletics.
The Nigerian sprint sensation announced himself on the global stage by reaching the 400m final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, becoming one of the youngest finalists in the event.
Since then, Ogazi has continued his meteoric rise. In 2025, he shattered the long-standing Nigerian 400m record, clocking an outstanding 44.02 seconds, while also setting an African indoor record of 44.57 seconds en route to winning the NCAA Indoor title.
This year, he ran a World Lead of 43.95s to win the SEC men’s 400m title. He went on to win the NCAA title in a time of 43.38 seconds, becoming the 4th fastest man ever, breaking the NCAA record and setting a new Nigerian National record. Ogazi will be one of Team Nigeria’s exciting medal prospects in Glasgow.
