With the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics set to ignite the world in just one day, Nigeria stands on the cusp of another chapter in its Olympic history. Since its maiden voyage to the Games in 1952, Africa’s most populous nation has been a consistent participant, sending a total of 777 athletes to compete on the global stage. Yet, for a country brimming with athletic talent, the medal tally remains relatively modest: a collection of three gold, 11 silver, and 13 bronze medals.

This piece takes us into Nigeria’s Olympic journey, exploring the highs and lows, the heroes, and the heartbreaks that have shaped the nation’s sporting legacy. From the early days of modest achievements to the golden era and subsequent challenges, we examine the factors that have influenced Nigeria’s Olympic performance.

The Beginning

Nigeria’s Olympic odyssey commenced in 1952. Since then, the most populous African nation has been a consistent presence at the Summer Games, with the exception of the boycotted 1976 Montreal edition. Yet, despite its rich sporting heritage and vast talent pool, the country’s medal haul – primarily in athletics and boxing – has often fallen short of expectations.

The early years were marked by modest achievements. Boxing provided the initial breakthroughs, with bronze medals secured at the 1964 Tokyo and 1972 Munich Games.

It wasn’t until the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics that Nigeria tasted success in athletics, a discipline that would later become a cornerstone of its Olympic aspirations.

Glory Days

The late 1990s marked Nigeria’s golden era in Olympic sports. The 1996 Atlanta Games stand as a pinnacle, a period of unparalleled national pride. Chioma Ajunwa’s historic long jump gold, the first for Nigeria, was followed by the sensational triumph of the “Dream Team” in football. This victory, over a star-studded Brazilian side, captured the imagination of a nation and resonated across the continent.

The Atlanta Games yielded two golds, one silver, and three bronze medals, a haul that underscored Nigeria’s burgeoning sporting prowess. The subsequent Sydney Olympics in 2000 brought further glory, albeit with a touch of controversy. The men’s 4x400m relay team was initially denied gold but was later awarded the medal after a US team member admitted to doping.

A Barren Run

The euphoria of the late 1990s gradually gave way to a period of relative disappointment. While there have been occasional flashes of brilliance – such as Blessing Okagbare’s long jump medal in 2008 and the bronze won by the U-23 football team in 2016 – the overall performance has been underwhelming.

The 2004 Athens Olympics offered a glimmer of hope with bronze medals in both the men’s 100m and 400m relays, but this was followed by a more challenging period.

The 2008 Beijing Games brought mixed fortunes. The men’s football team, led by the late Promise Isaac and coached by Samson Siasia, secured a silver medal, losing to an Argentine side featuring Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez. On the individual front, Blessing Okagbare shone with a long jump medal, while the women’s 4x100m relay team clinched silver. Additionally, Nigeria made history with its first-ever medals in taekwondo and weightlifting.

At the Beijing 2008 Olympics, Nigeria 🇳🇬 shined with a Silver in men’s football, led by the spirited men’s U23 football team.

The country copped two other Silvers in women’s Long Jump by Blessing Okagbare & the women’s 4x100m team and Bronze medals in Taekwondo and Weightlifting… pic.twitter.com/krHrgQc8RK

— Making of Champions (@MakingOfChamps) July 24, 2024

However, the subsequent years have been marked by a significant decline. The last three Games – London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020 – have been particularly barren, with only three medals secured. The 2012 London Games yielded no medals at all, a stark contrast to the nation’s previous Olympic performances.

A glimmer of hope emerged at the 2016 Rio Olympics with the bronze medal won by the U-23 football team, led by Mikel Obi and coached by Samson Siasia. This was a hard-fought victory that offered a brief respite from the nation’s Olympic woes.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics brought some measure of redemption with a silver medal for Blessing Oborududu in wrestling and a bronze for Ese Brume in long jump. These achievements, while commendable, still fell short of Nigeria’s historical standards.

At Paris 2024, medal hopes will rest on the shoulders of Tokyo bronze medallist Ese Brume in the women’s long jump, as well as 2002 World champion Tobi Amusan in the women’s 100 metres hurdles.

The Nigerian women’s football team meanwhile, returns to the Olympics after a 16-year absence.