The Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, has apologised to Nigerians for the disappointing performance of the Nigerian team at the recently concluded 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

President Bola Tinubu had approved ₦12 billion for Nigeria’s participation in the Olympics and Paralympics, with ₦9 billion allocated for the former and ₦3 billion for the latter. Despite this substantial funding, Nigeria concluded the Games without securing a single medal.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Enoh acknowledged that the team’s performance had fallen short of expectations. “The Olympic Games, Paris 2024, have ended, and I acknowledge that our performance should have been significantly better. It did not meet our objectives, expectations, or the hopes of Nigerians. I must apologise to our compatriots and reflect on what went wrong while looking ahead to the Paralympic Games, Paris 2024 (28th August – 8th September).”

Enoh, who assumed office as the Minister of Sports Development in August 2023, explained the challenges he faced in preparing for four major international competitions, including the AFCON, the African Games, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, within a matter of months. “I was reminded that the Olympic Games is the world’s most prestigious sports competition, and countries typically require at least four years of preparation. However, I discovered that preparations for the Olympics, which was less than a year away, had not yet commenced,” he said.

He highlighted the efforts made to sustain Nigeria’s international sports image, including requesting plans from all National Sports Federations and conducting nationwide inspections of sports facilities. He also established a Ministerial Podium Performance Advisory Committee composed of seasoned sports performance professionals to drive the country’s preparations.

Despite the challenges, Enoh noted that the President and Commander-in-Chief, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ensured that funds were not a limiting factor. Athletes’ competition requirements were met, allowances were paid promptly, and training grants were disbursed to all athletes. “Given these efforts, the underwhelming performance of our team is puzzling. We owe Nigerians an explanation,” he said.

Enoh announced that a review process has commenced, which will evaluate the readiness of every athlete, including their injury and medical history, within the bounds of patient confidentiality. The roles of coaches and administrative staff will also be scrutinised.

“There are many lessons to be learned from this performance, and improvements must be made across all areas. The last time we returned from the Olympics without a medal was in 2012. In the next two Olympics, we secured a bronze medal in 2016 and a silver and bronze in 2020. As a nation, we deserve more. Let us turn the disappointing outcome of the 2024 Olympics into a catalyst for positive change in Nigerian sports,” he concluded.