John Enoh, Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, has apologized to Nigerians following the country’s disappointing performance at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where Nigeria failed to secure a single medal.
In a statement released on Sunday, Enoh expressed regret that the Nigerian team’s performance fell short of expectations. Despite President Bola Tinubu’s approval of ₦12 billion for Nigeria’s participation in the Olympics and Paralympics—₦9 billion allocated for the Olympics and ₦3 billion for the Paralympics—the Nigerian delegation ended the games without a medal.
“The Olympic Games in Paris 2024 have concluded, and our performance did not meet the standards we hoped for,” Enoh said. “I must apologize to Nigerians for this shortfall and reflect on what went wrong as we look forward to the Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8, 2024.”
Enoh, who assumed office in August 2023, described the challenge of preparing for the Olympics amidst the demanding schedule of four major international sports events. He noted that upon taking office, he discovered that preparations for the Olympics, scheduled less than a year away, had not yet begun.
“We aimed to recreate or surpass the success of Atlanta 1996,” Enoh explained. “We initiated a progressive approach to improve our athletes’ performance, including forming a Ministerial Podium Performance Advisory Committee and conducting nationwide inspections of sports facilities.”
Despite these efforts, the Nigerian team struggled with qualification and peak performance timing, as many other countries had long been preparing. Enoh detailed the steps taken, including onshore and offshore training camps in Germany and Spain, which were well-recommended by experienced officials.
“We invested significantly in training facilities and ensured that financial resources were not a limiting factor,” Enoh added. “Athletes received early allowances and training grants, and I was available to address any issues. Yet, the outcome was disappointing.”
The Minister confirmed that a comprehensive review process is underway to evaluate every athlete’s competition readiness, injury history, and the role of coaches and administrative staff.
“Learning from this performance is crucial,” Enoh said. “We must use this experience to improve. Nigeria last returned from the Olympics without a medal in 2012. We secured a bronze in 2016 and silver and bronze in 2020. We must strive for better results in the future and turn this setback into a positive force for Nigerian sports.”
