By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
Nigeria has emerged as Africa’s highest-ranked nation at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games after finishing seventh on the overall medal table with 24 medals comprising 10 gold, seven silver and seven bronze.
The impressive performance made Nigeria the only African country to finish among the top 10 of the 72 participating nations. South Africa placed 11th, while Kenya, Mauritius and Cameroon finished 12th, 14th and 18th respectively.
Australia retained its dominance at the Games, topping the medal standings with 70 gold, 45 silver and 56 bronze medals.
Despite competing in a Commonwealth Games programme with fewer sports than the Birmingham 2022 edition, Team Nigeria delivered one of its most remarkable performances. The absence of traditional medal-winning events such as wrestling and table tennis significantly reduced the country’s medal opportunities. At the Birmingham Games, Nigeria won six medals in wrestling, including two gold, and four medals in table tennis.
However, the Glasgow Games witnessed several historic milestones for Team Nigeria across multiple sports.
In judo, Enku Ekuta secured a bronze medal in the women’s -63kg event, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for a Commonwealth Games medal in the sport.
Samuel Ogazi also etched his name into the history books by winning gold in the men’s 400 metres, becoming the first Nigerian man to claim the Commonwealth Games title in the event.
Nigeria also recorded progress in swimming as Abduljabar Adama advanced to the semifinals, a notable achievement for a nation that has traditionally struggled to compete at the highest level in the sport.
The Nigerian wheelchair basketball team impressed on its Commonwealth Games debut, advancing from the group stage to the knockout playoffs, highlighting the country’s growing strength in para sports.
Another historic achievement came in athletics, where Temitope Adeshina claimed bronze in the women’s high jump to secure Nigeria’s first-ever Commonwealth Games medal in the event.
The National Sports Commission said Nigeria’s seventh-place finish, 10 gold medals and emergence as Africa’s highest-ranked nation reflected the country’s resilience and competitive strength despite fewer medal opportunities at Glasgow 2026.
