By our reporter 19.8.2025
The National Sports Commission has been urged to speed up the payments of grants to elite Nigerian athletes ahead of the World Championships billed for Tokyo, Japan September 13-21, 2025.
As the athletes prepare for the world athletics show piece, Coaches are worried about the silence of the NSC with regards to paying grants to elite athletes as promised earlier in the year.
“Some athletes have been paid grants while others have not been paid,” said Gabriel Opuana Nigeria Coaches Association president.
According to him
“This is causing disaffection among the athletes and it’s one of the reasons they are not giving their best in the chase for relays.”
He said those who are yet to receive their grants are feeling left out.
Meanwhile some of the US based athletes who are competing at the CAA region 2 have expressed concerns about the lack of incentives offered to them for coming home to participate in the National trials and then staying behind for the meet in Accra, Ghana.
“These are athletes who are supposed to be doing summer jobs to help their finances in the USA.
“They are going back to school without receiving any incentives for representing Nigeria, it will be good for the NSC to kindly honour their commitment,” said coach Tony Osheku.
The athletes include Favour Onyah,
Pristina Ochonogor and Onwaeze Nnamdi.
NSC Elite Athletes Development and Podium Board CEO Yusuf Alli was not available for comments on the issue.
