Its one of Nigeria’s best performances in more than a decade. The contingent went for an overkill in a commonwealth event that saw the catalogue 10 gold medals, 24 in total.
The team wrapped up its campaign nicely at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with a seventh-place finish on the final medals table, securing a total of 24 medals comprising 10 gold, seven silver and seven bronze.
The impressive performance also saw Nigeria emerge as the highest-ranked African nation at the Games, finishing ahead of continental rivals South Africa and Kenya.
Australia topped the medals standings with 171 medals, including 70 gold, while England placed second with 110 medals. Canada finished third, with India, Scotland and New Zealand completing the top six ahead of Nigeria.
Glasgow 2026 will be remembered as one of Nigeria’s strongest Commonwealth Games performances in recent years, with medals coming from athletics, weightlifting, para-athletics, para-powerlifting and judo.
Among the standout performances was Ezekiel Nathaniel, who became the first Nigerian man to win the Commonwealth title in the 400 metres hurdles.
In the field events, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi made history as the first Nigerian to win Commonwealth gold in the men’s shot put, while Ruth Usoro claimed silver in the women’s long jump with one of the finest performances of her career.
On the track, Udodi Onwuzurike won silver in the men’s 200 metres, improving on his sixth-place finish at the Birmingham 2022 Games. Ella Onojuvwevwo ended Nigeria’s 32-year wait for a Commonwealth Games medal in the women’s 400 metres by winning bronze.
World record holder Tobi Amusan also added to her medal collection, claiming bronze in the women’s 100 metres hurdles.
Nigeria’s relay teams equally impressed. The mixed 4×400 metres team secured bronze in the event’s Commonwealth Games debut, while the men’s 4×100 metres relay team also claimed bronze after Canada successfully appealed its earlier disqualification.
Nigeria’s weightlifters and para-athletes also contributed significantly to the country’s medal tally, maintaining the nation’s strong tradition in both events.
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games featured athletes from 74 nations and territories competing across 10 sports, with 1,168 medals awarded in 215 medal events.
Organisers said the Games attracted more than 630,000 spectators across competition venues, live sites and the Glasgow 2026 Festival. More than 4,000 volunteers contributed over 156,000 hours of service, while the Games generated nearly 500 million social media views globally.
With the curtain drawn on Glasgow 2026, attention now shifts to the upcoming World Championships and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, where many Nigerian athletes will be looking to build on the momentum generated in Scotland.
