The National Sports Commission (NSC) has announced cash rewards of ₦1,000,000 for each gold medal, ₦750,000 for silver, and ₦500,000 for bronze medals won by Team Nigeria athletes at the ongoing CAA Africa U18/U20 Athletics Championship, in Abeokuta.
The announcement came during Day 2 of the championship, on Thursday, where the NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko and Director General Hon. Bukola Olopade watched actions from the stands.
The two administrators, visibly elated by the stellar performances of the Nigerian contingent, wasted no time in unveiling the financial incentives to further boost morale.
NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, applauded the athletes’ dedication and emphasized the importance of immediate motivation:
“Look at the way our athletes have been performing in this championship, you will see that commitment and dedication in their faces, and we will not stop at giving our athletes every reason to always want to compete for our great country.”
“We will reward them for every medal they win at this championship, and I also want to use this opportunity to charge them to continue to make the country proud.”
Furthermore, NSC Director General and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Hon. Bukola Olopade, praised Team Nigeria’s efforts and reiterated the importance of athlete welfare:
“We need to always take care of our athletes and when we do that, they will take care of us by winning medals, which is what we are witnessing at this Championship.”
“We are actually building these young athletes for the future and the upcoming Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.”
Athletics federation officials stated that with this timely incentive, the NSC continues to demonstrate its commitment to nurturing young talent and strengthening Nigeria’s performances on the global athletics stage.
