Team Nigeria’s quest to field a full contingent at next month’s 2026 World Athletics Relay Championships in Tokyo has hit a roadblock.

Following the conclusion of the qualification window on April 5, the nation has secured only three out of six possible slots, leaving their remaining ambitions dependent on the withdrawal of other competing countries.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) had pinned its hopes on the final qualifying window at the Botswana National Trials in Gaborone. However, the weekend was marred by tactical errors and narrow misses that have left the squad in a precarious position.

While the nation has successfully secured spots in the Women’s 4x400m, Men’s 4x400m, and the Mixed 4x100m events, the flagship sprint relays remain in limbo. The recent trials in Gaborone proved to be a mix of heartbreak and narrow misses, particularly for the 4x100m teams. The women’s quartet saw their direct qualification hopes evaporate after a baton exchange error led to a DNF, while the men’s team, despite winning their race in Botswana, failed to clock a fast enough time to break into the global top 24.

With the window now closed, Nigeria’s hopes for the remaining three slots rest entirely on the potential withdrawal of other qualified nations. The Mixed 4x400m team is currently the best positioned among the “hopefuls,” sitting at 27th in the world rankings and requiring only three countries to pull out for them to gain entry. The situation is significantly more difficult for the 4x100m squads; the men would need nine teams to withdraw, while the women would need more than ten vacancies to open up. AFN officials remain optimistic that at least one more lane might open, but for now, the athletes must continue their preparations without a guaranteed spot on the starting blocks in Tokyo.