Ahead of 2026 Commonwealth Games: Nigeria athletes get thumbs up for making progress

By Jude Ekegbo

The President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Habu Gumel has commended Team Nigeria athletes for making what he described as remarkable progress in previous editions of the Commonwealth Games.
Gumel also expressed satisfaction that Nigria’s profile in sports has continued to rise due to the impressive performances of the country’s athletes since her debut in Auckland, New Zealand in 1950.
“Since our inaugural participation in the Commonwealth Games in 1950, our national profile at this quadrennial event has shown remarkable progress.
“From securing a solitary silver medal at the Auckland 1950 Games, to an impressive tally of 12 Gold, 9 silver and 14 bronze medals at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, Nigerian athletes have consistently done well.
“They have demonstrated their prowess at international events and have brought pride to the country.”
To help Team Nigeria athletes improve on their last record set at the last Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Gumel who is also the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) solicited the continued support of the Federal Government, especially as it concerned the approval and timely release of funds to facilitate the team’s preparation for the Games.
It would be recalled that earlier this month, President Bola Tinubu had promised to unite the country through various sporting activities while receiving the King’s Baton ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games scheduled to hold between July 23 and Aug. 2, 2026, in Glasgow Scotland.
The President, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, said the present administration was committed to uniting Nigeria through sports.
“We reiterate our dedication to promoting peace through sports.
“The arrival of the King’s Baton in Nigeria on June 27, is a testament of our commitment to the Commonwealth family and the ideals it represents.
“The arrival of the King’s Baton is more than just a relay, it is an opportunity to showcase our rich cultural heritage, vibrant diversity and boundless potential.
“It allows us to reiterate our dedication to peace, understanding our sustainable development through the unifying power of sports.
“We recognise the symbolism of this baton, much like the Olympic Torch, ignites a collective passion and shared anticipation and renewed determination as we look forward to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
“Our athletes have consistently demonstrated their prowess on the global stage and brought glory and honour to our country.
“Nigeria has continued to shine since our first participation in 1950 and we are determined to build on these successes.”
Meanwhile, the official tartan for Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games 2026 has been made by designer Siobhan Mackenzie, who has created outfits for actor Alan Cumming and singer Justin Bieber.
No stranger to Team Scotland, Ms Mackenzie started her career as a graduate tailoring technician for Glasgow 2014 and designed the Team Scotland parade outfits for Birmingham 2022.
Her vision for the Glasgow 2026 tartan features blue, pink and purple tones against a steel grey base inspired by the city’s shipbuilding heritage.
The tartan will be made in Scotland using local textiles and manufacturers.
Its first appearance will be on the clothing of the Glasgow 2026 mascot – whose identity will be revealed later this month.
Ms Mackenzie, who grew up on the Black Isle in the Highlands, will also design a bespoke tartan for Team Scotland athletes and officials.
Fans will be able to buy official Glasgow 2026 tartan merchandise, and it will be added to the Scottish Register of Tartans.
The tartan has tradition and symbolism woven into it. The grey base has a thread count of 74 to represent the nations and territories competing at Glasgow 2026.
And the the dark blue section has been increased to a count of 26 in homage to the Games taking place from 23 July to 2 August, 2026.
Ms Mackenzie said: “I feel honoured to be designing a tartan for such a momentous occasion in my home country.
“I love weaving stories into tartan design and while many people might be expecting a blue or green base, I looked at Glasgow’s rich history and felt inspired by the shipbuilding stories.
“This led to a steel grey base with the Glasgow 2026 colours woven through in my signature style.
“It’s incredibly important to me that every thread of this project is made in Scotland and I’ll be working with local textiles and manufacturers to bring this design to life”
Four venues in Glasgow will host more than 3,000 athletes competing in 10 sports programmes over the 10 days.
More than 200 medals will be up for grabs, including in a record-breaking Para sport programme with 47 events across six sports.