Nesiama Selected for World Athletics Referees Programme at 24th African Senior Athletics Championships in Accra
Former Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Omatseye Nesiama, has earned another major continental assignment after being selected for the World Athletics and Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Mentoring Programme for Referees.
Nesiama, a retired military officer and technical expert, will participate in the programme during the 24th African Senior Athletics Championships scheduled to hold in Accra, Ghana, from May 10 to 19, 2026.
In an official invitation jointly signed by World Athletics and the CAA, the initiative was described as a developmental platform designed to enhance the capacity of Technical Officials through practical experience, education sessions, and on-site mentoring at one of Africa’s biggest athletics competitions.
The programme will also feature the presence of a World Athletics Gold Referee, who will provide guidance and mentorship to participants in areas relating to competition preparation, organisation, and event delivery.
As part of the arrangement, World Athletics will cover Nesiama’s international flight ticket, while the CAA will provide accommodation throughout his stay in Ghana.
He is expected to play an active role during the championships while also participating in dedicated mentoring and educational sessions alongside other experienced officials across the continent.
This latest appointment follows his recent officiating assignment at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, further reinforcing his growing stature within global athletics officiating circles.
Reflecting on his journey, Nesiama noted that while some may have once seen him as a rookie, his involvement in sports dates back decades.
His military career as an Executive Officer slowed his advancement, but he had early stints in the International Military Sports Council (CISM), where he helped organise basketball clinics with the late Major Taiwo Ogujobi and baseball programmes under General Ishola Williams and late Commodore Yinka Omololu between 1989 and 1992.
He later attended the National Institute for Sports, graduating with Distinction in Sports Management in 2000, before being appointed Director of Physical Training and Sports in the Nigerian Navy. His journey into athletics administration formally began when he joined the AFN Board in 2009.
