President Bola Tinubu has declared Nigeria’s ambition to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games a “dream” that must be realised, urging the international sporting body to give Africa its first chance to stage the historic event.
Writing on his official X account on Wednesday, September 24, Tinubu stressed that no African nation has ever hosted the Games and said Nigeria’s bid represented more than national pride. “It’s time for Africa,” he declared, adding that bringing the event to Abuja in 2030 would send a powerful signal that the continent is central to the future of the Commonwealth.
Nigeria is set to present its final bid before the evaluation committee on Wednesday, September 24. The delegation is led by Shehu Dikko, President of the Nigeria Sports Commission (NSC), alongside the Commission’s Director-General, Bukola Olopade. Tinubu said the country’s effort was a call for the Commonwealth to “complete the circle of unity.”
The Commonwealth Games, a major multi-sport event held every four years, brings together athletes from across the globe, predominantly from nations that share historical ties to the United Kingdom.
Nigeria has pursued the Games before. In 2014, it lost its bid to host to Glasgow, Scotland. This time, the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) said the country had met the March 28, 2025 deadline to formally express interest in hosting the 2030 edition, with Abuja positioned as the candidate city.
The NOC argued that hosting the Games would provide Nigeria with a unique platform to showcase its development, strengthen its international profile, and deepen its sporting culture. It would also mark the nation’s return to the global stage as a host of major sporting events, two decades after Abuja staged the 2003 African Games.
The next edition of the Commonwealth Games will also take place in Glasgow, from March 17 to March 29, 2026. The Australian state of Victoria had been scheduled to host but withdrew in 2023 citing spiralling costs, leaving the Commonwealth Games Federation scrambling for alternatives.
Nigeria’s bid for 2030 comes at a pivotal moment for the Games, which face mounting questions over their long-term viability. Tinubu and the Nigerian delegation insist that Africa’s turn has come, framing Abuja’s proposal as an opportunity to reinvigorate both the Commonwealth spirit and the future of the competition.
