Nigeria’s absence from the 2025 World Athletics Relays, held from May 10 to 11 at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium in Guangzhou, China, has stirred controversy and renewed scrutiny of the country’s sports administration. As 43 nations competed and 734 athletes vied for qualification spots at the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo, Nigeria’s no-show stood out—not just for its absence, but for the conflicting narratives that followed.

Initial reports attributed Nigeria’s non-participation to a cocktail of administrative delays, poor logistics, and visa complications. However, statements from both Nigerian officials and the Chinese Embassy reveal a more tangled story.

Bukola Olapade, Director General of the National Sports Commission, insisted that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Commission did everything “correctly and at the right time.” According to him, funding was approved as early as February/March, and the visa applications were submitted weeks in advance. Olapade pointed fingers at World Athletics and the host nation, China, claiming their failure to ease the visa process obstructed Nigeria’s participation.

He emphasized that seven U.S.-based Nigerian athletes were denied visas—allegedly due to China’s broader diplomatic posture against the United States—and noted that visa applications for both home-based and foreign-based athletes were submitted simultaneously. Based on these claims, the AFN petitioned World Athletics to grant Nigeria a qualification pass, blaming external failure for the country’s inability to participate.

The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, however, categorically refuted these claims. In an official statement, the embassy said it received the first formal request for visa support on April 24—just two weeks before the competition. Following a letter from Nigeria’s National Sports Commission dated April 22, the embassy said it immediately provided guidance and facilitated the visa process.

Visa applications were officially submitted on May 6, and the embassy reported that it issued visas within two days, by May 8. It described the AFN’s claims as “clearly inconsistent with the facts” and reaffirmed its support for sports and cultural cooperation between China and Nigeria. The embassy concluded by reminding that visa issuance is a matter of national sovereignty and that due process must always be followed.

This is not the first time visa issues have crippled Nigeria’s athletics representation. During the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, also in China, Nigeria’s team was cut from ten athletes to just five due to visa delays. The recurring theme of last-minute planning and inadequate follow-through highlights chronic administrative inefficiencies within the AFN.

Beyond the visa drama lies another layer of failure: qualification. World Athletics had laid out a clear qualification framework—16 teams were to qualify automatically through their performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, while others had until April 13, 2025, to secure spots via world rankings.

Nigeria failed to qualify through either route. While the AFN has argued that visa issues hindered their participation in the relays (a crucial qualifying event), many stakeholders point to a broader pattern of negligence: athletes were not systematically tracked or entered into enough qualifying meets. This administrative gap undercut Nigeria’s ability to secure qualification long before the Guangzhou debacle.

The absence from the World Relays means Nigeria missed a vital international stage to test and sharpen its relay teams. These relays are not just qualifying events—they are invaluable for team synergy, exposure, and confidence. Missing out could cause a setback in performance levels, particularly in 4x100m and 4x400m events where Nigeria has traditionally been strong.

Missed opportunities like these demoralize athletes, many of whom have invested years of training to earn international recognition. Such neglect may push promising athletes to seek representation for other countries with more efficient systems and better support.

Repeated instances of missed participation and administrative confusion damage Nigeria’s reputation within the global athletics community. It casts doubts on the country’s organizational capabilities and may impact future invitations or partnerships with international bodies.

Sponsors are reluctant to invest in a sports system that lacks consistency and transparency. Missed appearances at major events reduce media exposure and audience engagement—key drivers for sports funding and sponsorship.

Nigeria’s continued struggles in managing international sports participation call for a systemic overhaul. To reposition the country on the global athletics stage, the following steps must be taken:
    •    Comprehensive Administrative Reforms: The AFN must be restructured to ensure transparency, professionalism, and accountability. Leadership positions must be filled based on merit, not political affiliations.
    •    Better Athlete Support: Athletes need consistent access to training facilities, qualified coaching, nutrition, and international competition exposure. A well-supported athlete is more likely to succeed—and stay committed.
    •    Strategic Event Planning: The sports commission must develop a proactive approach to event logistics, including early visa applications, timely entries to qualification meets, and contingency plans.
    •    Collaborative Governance: The relationship between the AFN, National Sports Commission, and international bodies must be streamlined. Clear lines of communication and responsibility will prevent overlaps and last-minute blame games.
    •    Performance Metrics and Tracking: A digital tracking system should be established to monitor athlete performances, qualifications, and competition calendars in real time. This allows better decision-making and timely intervention.

Nigeria’s absence from the 2025 World Athletics Relays should not be dismissed as an isolated event or diplomatic misfortune. It reflects deeper, structural problems that have plagued the country’s sports ecosystem for years. The combination of weak administration, poor planning, and buck-passing must end if Nigeria is to reclaim its place as a powerhouse in global athletics.

This incident, while regrettable, presents an opportunity—a moment of reckoning. With the World Championships in Tokyo and the 2028 Olympics looming, there is still time to course-correct. But the window is narrowing, and only bold reforms will suffice. If Nigeria fails to act decisively, it risks fading further into irrelevance on the global athletics stage.