Nigeria Expresses Interest in Hosting Abuja 2030 Commonwealth Games

Nigeria has officially indicated its intent to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Abuja.

The development was announced by Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, in a meeting organized in late March of 2024.

According to the minister, Nigeria has the capability of hosting the greatly esteemed event if only key improvements to Nigeria’s sporting infrastructure were to be introduced.

Enoh noted that Nigeria’s bid to stage the 2030 Commonwealth Games is aa bold step in the right direction towards the aspiration of the country to improve its sporting image on the global stage.

He went on to say that, so far, there is no African nation that has successfully hosted the Commonwealth Games since its inception in 1930, while the continent has a rich sporting culture.

This gap, he inferred, presents an opportunity for African nations, and Nigeria specifically, to lead the way in winning key global sports competitions.

To support the bid, the Nigerian government has also provided over N31 billion for the remodelling and upgrade of the important sporting complexes, including the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja. The stadium, which is central to Nigeria’s sporting strategy, will undergo extensive refurbishment to international standards to host the Commonwealth Games. This is under a broader plan to upgrade and breathe new life into Nigeria’s sporting complexes.

The upgrades are also expected to increase not only the physical facilities of the stadium but also its technological and logistical capabilities to be able to cater to the needs of athletes and fans alike during massive international events.

The upgrades form part of an initiative to transform Nigeria’s sporting sector and make the country a hub for mega international sporting events in the future.

Senator Enoh added that hosting the Commonwealth Games would be a benchmark for the continent. “It is a mistake that no African nation has as yet hosted the Commonwealth Games,” he said, noting that the Nigerian participation in the bid reflects a broader desire to increase the prominence of African nations in the world’s sporting landscape.

Through this bid, Nigeria positions itself as a leading power within the global sports world, with a new era of opportunity for athletes, fans, and the sports industry across the continent.

In spite of the fact that the bid is at its nascent stage, Nigeria’s commitment to hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2030 is already being expressed through the investment of the government in sporting infrastructure. This covers everything from the planned renovation of Abuja’s Moshood Abiola National Stadium to a master plan focusing on the development of sports centers and getting the country ready for potential future international competitions.