Lagos Running Conference Hype Overshadows Nigeria’s Distance Running Crisis

Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee for the World Athletics African Running Conference, Solomon Ogba, says Nigeria is on the verge of becoming Africa’s leading destination for road races, despite the country’s lack of world-class distance runners.

Speaking ahead of the conference scheduled for February 12–13, 2026, in Lagos, the former two-time Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) president insisted that Nigeria is finally taking its place as a sporting powerhouse.

He pointed to the growing feasibility and success of road races in the country, even though critics note that no visible development program exists for distance running.

The AFN recently invited 32 athletes to camp, but not a single distance runner made the list.

Observers argue that Nigeria has yet to unveil any structured program for the discipline, a sharp contrast to the 1990s when athletes like Abas Mohammed ran world-class times of 2 hours 16 minutes in the marathon. Today, no Nigerian runner is capable of breaking 2 hours 20 minutes.

Ogba, however, believes the upcoming conference is proof of progress.

‘We are making significant strides in road races, and the entire world is aware of this. That is why I am very excited about the Running Conference in Lagos,’ he said.

The event will bring together leading experts and stakeholders from across the globe, including representatives of World Athletics, African authorities, and key industry players.

According to Ogba, it will be a gathering of the best minds in road running, working to shape the fast-growing landscape in Nigeria and across Africa.

The conference will be followed by the 11th edition of the Lagos City Marathon on February 14, 2026. The race has steadily risen in global stature and is now regarded as one of Africa’s biggest road-running events.

While optimism surrounds the conference, local observers remain skeptical, describing it as a misplaced priority in a country that has failed to produce elite-level distance runners in recent years.