By Dorcas Francis Koji
Nigeria delivered a standout performance at the 2026 Africa Zone 2 Swimming Championships in Dakar, Senegal, finishing the competition with an impressive haul of 35 medals.
Team Nigeria secured 17 gold, 14 silver and four bronze medals across individual and relay events, with the Nigeria Aquatics Federation (NAqF) describing the performance as the country’s best outing at the competition in more than a decade.
The impressive medal tally earned praise from the federation, which congratulated the country’s junior and senior swimmers, coaches and technical officials for their contribution to Nigeria’s success at the continental zonal championship.
NAqF President, Lekan Fatodu, described the performance as a major achievement for Nigerian swimming and said the results reflected the progress being made in the development of the sport.
“The performance of our swimmers in Dakar is a thing of great pride for Nigeria. Winning 35 medals, including 17 gold medals, is a significant achievement and one that shows the commitment and hard work of our athletes, coaches and the entire technical crew,” Fatodu said.
The NAqF president also singled out the junior swimmers for praise, noting that their performances provided an encouraging sign ahead of the 2026 Youth Olympic Games, scheduled to take place in Dakar from October 30 to November 13.
According to Fatodu, the Zone 2 championship provided the federation with an important opportunity to assess the progress of its emerging swimmers while intensifying preparations for major international competitions.
He stressed that the federation would continue to strengthen its athlete-development programmes, improve preparation standards and create more opportunities for Nigerian swimmers to compete at the highest level.
The impressive showing in Dakar is expected to provide further momentum for Nigeria’s preparations for the Youth Olympic Games and other international competitions.
The federation also reaffirmed its commitment to building a strong pipeline of talented swimmers capable of representing Nigeria successfully at both African and global competitions.
With 17 gold medals forming the centrepiece of the haul, Nigeria’s performance in Dakar represents a significant boost for the country’s swimming programme and offers renewed optimism about the future of the sport.
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