Nigeria’s Swimmers Return from Dakar with 35 Medals

Nigeria’s swimmers have posted their strongest Africa Zone 2 Swimming Championships result in more than a decade, winning 35 medals at the 2026 edition in Dakar, Senegal.

The team finished with 17 gold, 14 silver and four bronze medals from individual and relay events, giving the Nigeria Aquatics Federation (NAqF) a result it regards as a marker of the steady work being done to raise the standard of swimming in the country.

Both the junior and senior swimmers contributed to the medal tally, with coaches and technical officials also receiving commendation from the federation for their roles throughout the continental zonal competition.

NAqF President, Lekan Fatodu, said the performance was a source of pride for Nigeria and credited the athletes and support team for the outcome.

“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 junior swimmers have another test ahead of them in the same city. Dakar will host the 2026 Youth Olympic Games from October 30 to November 13, and Fatodu said their showing at the Zone 2 championships offered the federation a useful measure of their current level.

The Dakar competition has therefore served two purposes for NAqF: competition at senior and junior levels and an assessment of the younger swimmers ahead of the Youth Olympic Games and other international meets.

Fatodu said the federation would maintain its development programmes, improve the preparation of its athletes and provide more opportunities for Nigerian swimmers to compete at the highest level.

The federation is also working towards a deeper pool of talent rather than relying on a handful of established swimmers. Its stated aim is to develop a strong pipeline capable of producing athletes who can hold their own at African and global competitions.

The 35 medals in Dakar give Nigeria’s swimming programme a strong platform to build on. With the Youth Olympic Games approaching and more international competitions ahead, the focus now is on turning this performance into sustained progress and producing a new generation of Nigerian swimmers ready to compete at the highest level.