Nearly forty years have passed since Nigeria achieved a remarkable victory in football at the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, United States, an event that captured global attention. Nevertheless, the country's recent showing at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where it did not earn any medals, has sparked significant concerns and initiated conversations regarding the necessity for accountability.

This marks the eighth time that Nigeria has experienced such a disappointing outcome in international sports competitions. Nevertheless, it is crucial to recall the nation’s remarkable achievement 39 years ago, when it became the first country outside Europe and South America to win a global football tournament.

In addition to this remarkable feat, Nigeria also achieved another significant milestone by winning the inaugural Under-16 World Cup. The Nigerian team showcased exceptional strength, skill, and a relentless attacking style as they overcame formidable opponents from various continents, including Saudi Arabia (Asia), Italy, Hungary, and West Germany (Europe), Costa Rica (Central America), and Guinea (Africa).

In light of the recent barren medal outing at Paris 2024, there have been growing calls for the government to address the dismal performance of the 88-member Nigerian team. These concerns highlight the need for introspection and a comprehensive review of the nation’s sports policies and strategies to ensure improved performance in future international competitions.

The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, expressed his disappointment regarding the country’s performance at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The Nigerian government has acknowledged that the nation’s athletes did not meet expectations and failed to secure any medals.

President Bola Tinubu’s administration conveyed its concerns over Team Nigeria’s lack of success, emphasizing the need for comprehensive reforms to enhance sports administration within the country.

In a statement released on his official social media platform, Senator Enoh acknowledged that the nation’s performance fell short of the established objectives and expectations, disappointing the Nigerian people.

“I must apologize to our compatriots and reflect on what went wrong while looking forward to the Paralympic Games, Paris 2024(August 28- September 8th).

“When I assumed office as the Minister of Sports Development in August 2023, I was confronted with the task of executing four international competitions namely the AFCON, the African Games,the Olympic and Paralympic Games in a matter of a few months.

“I was also reminded that the Olympic Games is the world’s supreme sports competition, and countries require at least four years to prepare for it. I held extensive discussions with the management staff of the Ministry and got to know that preparations for the Olympics, which was less than a year away, had not started.

“In the true Nigerian spirit, it was our view that we should spare no effort to sustain the international sports image of our country. Our target was to re-enact the Atlanta 1996 performance or even improve on it. To this end, we embarked on a progressive approach to drive forward the performance of our athletes and coaches.”

He added, “To achieve our targets, we approved onshore training in different locations in the country in addition to the offshore training camps for our teams in Saarbrucken, Germany, and Sevilla, Spain.

“Ten out of the eleven sports trained in Germany. The choice of the training facilities in Germany was based on the very positive recommendations of the Ministry team and included the President of one of our Federations who as a former world champion and Olympic gold medal winner, is quite familiar with Olympic-standard facilities and equipment.

“At the training camp, the Ministerial Podium Performance Advisory Committee offered scientific preparation and mental strength training support.”