Joel Ajayi
Delta State, Nigeria – July 8, 2025 — Final preparations are underway for the highly anticipated Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Swimming Championship, set to begin in Delta State. As excitement builds across the country, the Nigerian Navy and the Delta State Government have thrown their full support behind what is expected to be a landmark event in the nation’s sporting calendar.
The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) has demonstrated strong commitment to the event by mobilizing relevant departments within the Nigerian Navy to collaborate closely with the Nigeria Aquatics Federation.
“We are most excited that the CNS himself has thrown his weight around this event and has deployed the relevant department within the Navy structure to work with the federation to ensure its success,” said Taiwo Oriss, Secretary General of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation
The National Sports Commission NSC, and host Delta State, is also making strong moves to support the event. “Even the National Sports Commission and host Delta State Government is rallying around the federation at the dying minute—at the 11th hour, I must say—to ensure the success,” Oriss added.
With such unprecedented institutional backing, expectations are high that this year’s championship will set a new standard. “We are about to witness an event bigger than anything we have seen before,” he emphasized.
The Nigeria Aquatics Federation is urging Delta State residents and sports enthusiasts across the country to come out in large numbers and support the athletes. “We look forward to having the good people of Delta State around to cheer our champions to victory,” Oriss stated.
Swimming is experiencing a surge in popularity across Nigeria. At the last National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, the sport drew the highest attendance of all events, underscoring a shifting national interest. “Swimming emphatically had the highest followership at the last National Sports Festival. It shows that Nigerians are beginning to put swimming first,” Oriss noted.
This mirrors international trends, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently reporting that swimming recorded some of the highest global figures in viewership, ticket sales, and sponsorship during the last Olympic Games.
Competition Schedule and Opening Ceremony
Teams are expected to arrive on Sunday, July 13, 2025, with practice sessions scheduled to begin on Monday, July 14, 2025. Each team will be allotted one hour in the pool for training and acclimatization, divided between morning and afternoon sessions.
“All the teams are going to be scheduled to come into the pool for practice as planned—some in the morning, others in the afternoon. Each team gets about one hour in the water,” said Oriss.
The main competition officially kicks off on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, with the opening ceremony scheduled for 3 p.m., coinciding with the arrival of key dignitaries and special guests.
Participation and Team Registration
The championship is drawing participation from across the country, including state teams, clubs, schools, and military and paramilitary institutions. While late registration is common, 13 teams and clubs have already fully registered.
“Although most of our teams do last-minute registration, we already have 13 confirmed,” a federation official confirmed.
High Expectations and National Pride
With the support of the Nigerian Navy and Delta State Government, coupled with increasing national interest in the sport, the federation is confident this championship will be a defining moment in Nigerian swimming history.
“We have no doubt that this is one among the rest. We are confident it will stand out,” said Oriss. “We urge Nigerians to come out in full to witness history, cheer on our swimmers, and show unwavering support for the sport.”
