By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
With just six days to the opening of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has unveiled a comprehensive welfare and incentive package for Team Nigeria, aimed at boosting athletes’ preparations and rewarding outstanding performances.
The package, approved by the Chairman of the NSC, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the Director-General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, introduces significant improvements in travel support, camping allowances, competition bonuses and medal rewards, reflecting the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to athlete welfare and sporting excellence.
Under the new arrangement, every athlete and official received N250,000 to cover flight tickets to the national training camp in Abuja, replacing the previous transport fare system. An additional N250,000 has also been approved for each athlete and official to facilitate early booking of return flights after the Games.
The Commission also increased local camping allowances, raising the daily rate to N5,000 for athletes and N7,500 for officials, up from the previous range of N1,000 to N2,000. According to the Commission, the payments have already been made.
In a major boost to Team Nigeria’s medal aspirations, 100m hurdles world record holder Tobi Amusan has arrived at the team’s training camp in Aberdeen, Scotland, joining the final phase of preparations. Amusan is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s strongest medal contenders at the Games.
The NSC also secured a 21-day high-performance training camp in Aberdeen, providing athletes with access to world-class facilities and an environment designed to optimise performance.
Athletes in the overseas camp are receiving $150 per day, while coaches are being paid $200 daily. The Commission said payments have largely been completed, with only a few outstanding cases being addressed through the respective National Sports Federations due to banking issues.
Competition allowances have also been reviewed upward. Athletes will now receive $200 per day during the Games, while coaches will receive $250 daily, an increase from the allowances paid at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Beyond financial incentives, Team Nigeria athletes have been equipped with upgraded PUMA competition kits comprising about 20 items, including premium luggage and two durable travel boxes.
To further motivate podium finishes, the Federal Government has approved enhanced medal rewards. Gold medalists will receive an instant cash award of $3,000, silver medalists $2,000, and bronze medalists $1,000, while their coaches will receive equivalent rewards.
In addition, medal-winning athletes will earn separate performance bonuses of $5,000 for gold, $3,000 for silver, and $2,000 for bronze, to be paid directly into their bank accounts.
The Commission also disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to host Team Nigeria’s medal winners after the Games in recognition of their achievements.
The NSC said the enhanced welfare package underscores the Federal Government’s determination to prioritize athlete welfare, reward excellence and provide Team Nigeria with the support needed to compete successfully at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
