Nigerian track and field faces a growing paradox, losing prime home-based performers to foreign federations even as USA and UK-trained prospects pledge their futures to Nigeria, OLAMIDE ABE writes
The Exodus
Favour Ofili (Turkey)
The “Star Girl” of Nigerian sprinting, Favour Ofili, delivered the most significant blow to the national psyche in September 2025. After the heartbreak of being omitted from the 100m at the Paris 2024 Olympics due to a registration error, the second consecutive Olympic cycle she suffered from administrative negligence, Ofili officially switched to Turkey.
Despite the Nigerian National Sports Commission’s reported desperate attempts to block her from representing Turkey at the LA 2028 Games, the AFN has officially confirmed her switch in August; the damage is done. Ofili, the national record holder in the 200m, cited “multiple negligence” as her reason.
Favour Ashe (Qatar)
If Ofili’s exit was a shock, Favour Ashe’s departure in February 2026 was a confirmation of a trend. Nigeria’s seventh-fastest man in history (9.94s) has reportedly applied to represent Qatar. Ashe’s reasons were biting, “substandard track facilities” and a lack of “human feeling” from administrators during the 2025 National Sports Festival. Even though Ashe has already spent months training in Doha, where he says the system is “more affable”, The reports that he has yet to file for a switch of allegiance to the Middle Eastern country.
Sunday Akintan (Qatar)
Leading Ashe into the desert is Sunday Akintan, now competing under the name Saeed Salam. A 60m indoor specialist who recently clocked 6.48s, Akintan is a key piece of Qatar’s ambitious relay project. His move underscores the Gulf nation’s strategy of harvesting elite Nigerian speed to build a world-class sprint program.
Emmanuel Bamidele (UAE)
The exodus isn’t limited to the sprinters. Quarter-miler Emmanuel Bamidele, the 2023 NCAA champion, completed his switch to the United Arab Emirates in August 2025.
Bamidele, who has previously flirted with Qatari and Nigerian jerseys, seems to have finally found professional stability under the UAE flag, already debuting for them in the Diamond League.
The Influx
Jami Schlueter (UK/Germany)
If there is a silver lining in 2026, it is Jami Schlueter. Born in the UK to a German father and Nigerian mother, the University of Washington standout officially became eligible for Nigeria in November 2025.
He hasn’t just joined; he has dominated. In February 2026, Schlueter shattered the Nigerian national record in the Heptathlon, raising it to a world-class 5,871 points. He is single-handedly reviving the decathlon for a country that has long ignored multi-events.
Kelly Ufodioma (USA)
A “Naijamerican” prodigy, Ufodioma is the new face of the female sprint corps. She completed her nationality transfer in May 2025 and has already set the tracks alight with a 22.54s in 200m.
Currently competing in the NCAA for East Carolina, she is seen as the technical successor to Ofili, a sprinter with American-honed mechanics but a Nigerian heart.
Jessica Oji (USA)
A newly emerging titan in the throwing circle, Oji has made an explosive start to her Nigerian career. In February 2026, on her very debut under the green-white-green flag, she shattered the Nigerian U-20 Shot Put record at the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, producing a massive throw of 17.74m to finish second, instantly making her the national youth record holder.
Having been the USA U-20 champion in 2025, her switch of allegiance is a monumental win for Nigeria. With a personal best of 18.45m (achieved before the official switch), she is already throwing further than the standing African senior record.
Divine Oladipo (UK)
A finalist for Great Britain at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the discus champion in the 2024 UK Championships, Oladipo is a throw specialist in the shot put (17.97m PB) and discus (58.01m PB). She arrived in Nigeria and won the shot put national title immediately after her switch was confirmed by World Athletics in August 2025, and in a poetic twist of fate, she is set to don the green-white-green flag against her former home country at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games this July.