The 2026 Commonwealth Games are almost here and we will see more than 3000 athletes from around the world. The games will feature 74 nations and territories and they will compete between July 23 and August 2, 2026. Although the event will be a bit smaller than the one in Birmingham 4 years ago, it will feature tons of big names from countries like Nigeria.
Speaking of the devil, we at Efirbet NG decided to dive deep and analyze the 10 best Nigerian athletes we’ll see in action. Many of our readers know that Team Nigeria finished as Africa’s highest-ranked nation at Birmingham 2022 after winning 35 medals. This alone is more than enough for many people to consider wagering on them, so it’s time to learn more about the names that stand out.
Nigeria’s Squad For the 2026 Commonwealth Games
Based on our research, Nigeria will have a 29-member team invited to the national Commonwealth Games camp. We will see some of the usual suspects, as well as a couple of new names that we have not heard of.
As mentioned, Nigeria did really well in the last Commonwealth Games, so we would not be surprised if it ends up winning even more medals. Let’s take a closer look at some of the athletes in the country who deserve more attention.
Tobi Amusan – 100 M Hurdles
There are several names that definitely stand out when it comes to stars at the Commonwealth Games and Tobi Amusan is one of them. He is a former world champion who still holds the 100m hurdles world record of 12.12 seconds. She secured that result in the 2022 World Championship in Oregon and no one has managed to beat it.
Amusan is also very successful in the Commonwealth Games. She won her first title in 2018 and then defended it in Birmingham 4 years later. On top of that, her result of 12.30 seconds established a new Commonwealth Games record.
Given her experience and best results, there is no arguing that Tobi Abusan is one of the big favorites in her discipline. She has played in the Olympics, World Championship, Diamond League, and Commonwealth finals, so she will be very familiar with the pressure.
Folashade Oluwafemiayo – Para Powerlifting
Folashade Oluwafemiayo will be Nigeria’s captain at the 2025 Commonwealth Games, and this is no surprise. She is one of the most dominant Paralympic powerlifters in the world and also a two-time Paralympic champion.
In case you forgot, she won the women’s over-86 kg title in Paris and broke the world record twice. Folashade Oluwafemiayo has won countless other competitions over the years, so she’s definitely one of Nigeria’s biggest names to keep an eye on.
It should be noted that the Commonwealth competition uses a points calculator to compare athletes from different bodyweight categories. In other words, the heaviest successful lift doesn’t automatically mean that the person will win.
Samuel Ogazi – 400 M
There are several young athletes that fans will definitely keep a close eye on and Samuel Ogazi is one of them. Many of you may remember that he reached the men’s 400m final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and has developed into one of the best in the world.
The player’s biggest breakthrough came at the 2026 NCAA Championships in Eugene. He won the title there in 43.38 seconds, placing him 4th on the world all-time list.
Despite these results, the 400m presents a difficult challenge and bettors should be aware of it. Ogazi has definitely shown he is among the best, but it won’t be a walk in the park for him.
Ese Brume – Long Jump
Ese Brume is definitely one of Nigeria’s most decorated athletes because she is an Olympic bronze medalist. On top of that, she also has a silver and bronze medal from the World Championship, as well as a silver medal from the World Indoor Championship.
Outside of these tournaments, Brume also has an excellent record at the Commonwealth Games. She won her first title in Glasgow 12 years ago and then won the event in Birmingham in 2022. Now that she is back in Glasgow, this should give her positive memories and allow her to at least repeat her result.
It should be noted that long-jump betting is difficult. People have to address a lot of different things and even the favorites can have issues. Brume has the experience, tech consistency, and history of producing big jumps, but take a good look at all of the other alternatives before betting.
Kayinsola Ajayi – 100 Meters
Nigeria has a couple of top-tier spinters and Kayinsola Ajayi is the one that stands out. He is just 21 years old but has already made a name for himself. He reached the 100m final at the 2025 World Championship and will be one of the highest-ranked sprinters at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
2026 started really well for the young star as he ran 9.84 seconds during the collegiate season. He also matched Nigeria’s record when he won the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene.
Despite being one of the favorites, the 100m race in Glasgow will be one of the most competitive races. Kayinsola Ajayi will most likely face established sprinters from countries such as Jamaica, England, South Africa, and Canada. All of them have strong contenders, so the sprinter will have to step up his game.
One of the big problems ahead of Kayinsola Ajayi will be the lack of experience on the big stage. He definitely has the talent, but bettors need to be careful because there will be other, more experienced competitors.
Rafiatu Lawal – Weightlifting
Weightlifting is one of those competitions where Nigeria has always had solid names. There are a couple of people that stand out right now and Rafiatu Lawal is one of them. She has dominated the women’s 59 kg competition and even set the Commonwealth Games snatch record in 2022. Considering all of that, she is in an excellent position to win a medal in the upcoming competition.
What’s important for bettors to know is that Rafiatu Lawal continued to compete successfully in Birmingham. She actually lifted 95 kg at the African Championship in 2025 and got 118 KG in the clean and jerk. These numbers a clear sign that she knows how to win.
The issue with weightlifting is that competitions are often decided by the selection of attempts. This means that there could be nasty surprises.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi – Shot Put
Men’s shot put is one of those sports that many people underestimate, including bettors. However, the truth is that it can provide excellent opportunities, especially for Nigeria and its representative, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi. He is a two-time African Games champion and has also played at the World Championship and the Olympic Games.
2025 was a really good year for the star as he made oen of his best throws yet of 22.10m. This set a new record in Africa and quickly made him one of the big favorites.
The problem is that Chukwuebuka Enekwechi will have to compete against some of the best in the world. New Zealand, England, South Africa and Canada all have solid medal contenders, so it definitely won’t be easy.
Ezekiel Nathaniel – 400m Hurdles
Ezekiel Nathaniel is another name of Nigeria’s team that can win a medal for his country. He won the 2025 NCAA title with 47.46 seconds and broke all records in the country. This was just the beginning because he actually improved his best and won several other events after that.
Despite being in a good position to win, Ezekiel Nathaniel also has serious competition and this is reflected in the odds. Nevertheless, he will remain a solid pick for online bettors.
Chinecherem Nnamdi – Javelin
The javelin thrower won the African Games title in Accra and holds the Nigerian record. Outside of that, Chinecherem Nnamdi also has a silver medal from the African Championship and is a former World Under-20 Championship bronze medalist.
While these achievements are impressive, the standard of the Commonwealth Javelin are very impressive. Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem will probably be Chinecherem Nnamdi’s biggest contender, but athletes from Australia and India are also among the favorites.
Goodness Nwachukwu – Para Discus
Anyone who has followed the Commonwealth Games in 2022 will recognize the name Goodness Nwachukwu. She actually produced one of the most memorable performances after winning the gold medal. Additionally, she also set a new world record with her 36.56m throw.
Following her success, Goodness Nwachukwu also qualified for Glasgow and will represent her country once again. She enters the competition as the defending champion, which will definitely put some pressure on her. However, we believe that this will motivate her even more because she will want to prove that her last victory was not random.
