Written by Rahmon OluwoNigeria sports betting writer
Published 29 October 2026
The Federal Government has set cash rewards of $3,000 for gold, $2,500 for silver and $2,000 for bronze for Nigerian medallists at the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.
National Sports Commission (NSC) Director-General Bukola Olopade announced the incentives at the team’s send-off ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday. The NSC formally handed the contingent to the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), with the athletes present in their green-and-white national kits.
Olopade urged the athletes to represent Nigeria with pride, discipline and patriotism. He called the Games a historic opportunity and a stepping stone toward senior competition, including the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. He also pointed to the Commission’s grassroots drive and its Invited Junior Athletes programme.
NOC President Habu Gumel promised the team full support in Dakar and urged the athletes to compete cleanly.
19 athletes in six sports
Nigeria are sending 19 athletes, 12 women and seven men, in six sports: athletics, boxing, road cycling, swimming, table tennis and beach volleyball.
Athletics is the biggest group with nine athletes, five girls and four boys. Swimming has four (two girls, two boys), table tennis two (one girl, one boy) and beach volleyball two, a women’s team. Boxing and road cycling have one girl each.
The contingent leaves Abuja today, 29 October, after a three-week camp. The Games, the fourth Summer Youth Olympics, run from 31 October to 13 November and are the first Olympic sporting event on African soil. About 2,700 athletes are expected to compete.
Schedule and venues in Dakar
The opening ceremony is on 31 October at Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio, with table tennis and beach volleyball starting the same day. Swimming begins on 1 November, boxing runs from 7 to 12 November, and athletics and road cycling take place between 8 and 10 November.
Beach volleyball is at Saly Beach West, table tennis and boxing at the Dakar Expo Centre, swimming at the Tour de l’Oeuf complex, road cycling along Corniche Ouest and athletics at the Iba Mar Diop Complex.
