Philip Shaibu has sent a clear message to Team Nigeria’s athletes ahead of their departure for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games: compete boldly, stay disciplined and win medals without cheating.
The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports said the country’s image must remain a priority at all times, adding that any conduct that could bring Nigeria’s name into disrepute at an international event like the Youth Olympics would be unacceptable.
A 17-athlete delegation heads to Dakar
Team Nigeria will be represented by 17 athletes and six coaches at the Games, which run from October 31 to November 13, 2026, in Dakar, Senegal. The competition is expected to bring together more than 2,700 young athletes from 205 countries, placing Nigeria’s contingent on one of the biggest youth sporting stages in the world.
The Youth Olympic Games are also being viewed as a platform for Nigerian youths to showcase talent and national pride globally. That makes the stakes bigger than medals alone. For the athletes, the trip is about performance, conduct and how the country is represented in front of a worldwide audience.
Five sports, one message
Team Nigeria will compete in five sports approved by the International Olympic Committee, and the scale of the event means every result and every public action will be noticed. Shaibu’s remarks were aimed not just at results, but at standards: be courteous, be bold and be disciplined.
That kind of message is common before major international competitions, but it carries extra weight here because the Youth Olympics are designed to introduce young athletes to the demands of elite competition. The expectation is not only to chase medals, but to do so in a way that reflects well on Nigeria.
For Team Nigeria, the countdown to Dakar is now about translating preparation into performance. The delegation leaves with a clear instruction from Shaibu: compete hard, protect the country’s image and bring home medals the right way.
