Nigeria Secures Diplomatic Victory as Commonwealth Sports Ministers Back Africa for 2034 Games Hosting

Glasgow, Scotland – July 22, 2026

Nigeria recorded a significant diplomatic achievement at the 12th Commonwealth Sports Ministers’ Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, following a successful intervention by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, which secured unanimous support for Africa to be considered as host of the 2034 Commonwealth Games.

Speaking during the ministerial meeting, Dikko urged Commonwealth member nations to take a deliberate and strategic decision to reserve the hosting opportunity for Africa, noting that the continent remains the only major region yet to stage the Games in its century-long history.

He emphasized that after 100 years of the Commonwealth Games, the event’s legacy would remain incomplete without Africa hosting the competition. Dikko called for a proactive, intentional, and collective commitment by member nations to ensure that the 2034 edition of the Games is hosted on the African continent.

The proposal received overwhelming support from delegates, leading to an amendment of the official communiqué to reflect the collective position that Africa should be considered for the hosting rights of the 2034 Commonwealth Games.

Beyond the hosting bid, the NSC Chairman advocated for reforms aimed at repositioning the Commonwealth Games for greater relevance and sustainability. He proposed the inclusion of additional sports such as football and explored the possibility of multi-city hosting arrangements to make the Games more attractive, inclusive, cost-effective, and accessible to prospective host nations.

Dikko also used the platform to present Nigeria’s national statement, highlighting ongoing reforms and progress in the country’s sports sector. He briefed fellow ministers on efforts to restructure and reposition Nigerian sports under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the National Sports Commission’s RHINSE framework, which is driving a new era of growth, governance, infrastructure development, talent identification, and sports economy expansion.

The outcome of the Glasgow meeting represents a major diplomatic and sporting milestone for Nigeria and Africa, strengthening the continent’s prospects of hosting the Commonwealth Games for the first time and advancing broader conversations on the future direction of the global sporting event.