By Maxwell Kumoye, additional reports by Ben Efe 3.11.2025
Team Nigeria’s contingent is set to participate in 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games billed for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia November 7-2.
Nigeria’s 46-member delegation of 35 athletes and 11 officials have been leaving in batches with the athletics team the last to leave on the November 13th. They join 26 other African nations to vie for honours across 21 sports in nine buzzing venues from November 7 to 21.
National Sports Commission director-general Hon Bukola Olopade, said the Games are part of Nigeria’s grand strategy for global sports dominance ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
“The Islamic Solidarity Games represent a great opportunity for Nigeria to showcase our talent on the global stage,” Olopade declared.
“This is a stepping stone toward Los Angeles 2028 and our athletes are ready to shine.”
Nigeria’s athletes will compete in seven sports, athletics has the lion share:
• Athletics
• Boxing
• Para Athletics
• Para Powerlifting
• Taekwondo
• Weightlifting
• Wrestling with boxing leading the early medal chase.
To date, Nigeria has won 11 medals at the Islamic Solidarity Games, including 3 gold, 6 silver, and 2 bronze medals.
Meanwhile, Algeria arrives in Riyadh with the largest African contingent with 117 athletes while Egypt follows closely with 101 and Mali will be represented by just 2 athletes out of the 844 from Africa.
Nigeria’s neighbours Benin Republic, Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic will all be participating at the Games – Cameron’s 51 man team is the biggest among them.
Morocco, never one to shy from the spotlight, has sent 82 athletes with a clear mission: to build on its stellar 2022 performance in Konya, Türkiye, where it bagged 15 gold, 13 silver, and 34 bronze medals.
In total, 3,500 athletes from 57 nations will light up Riyadh, competing in 21 sports and three para events — a celebration of shared unity, friendship, and fierce athletic pride.
