Okowa: ‘Winning a silver and reaching four finals at World Championships are huge achievements!’
Despite Nigeria finishing with just one silver medal at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, Tonobok Okowa, has described the performance as a major success.
While Kenya led the African medal table with 11 medals (seven gold, two silver, two bronze), Botswana secured two golds, and Tanzania claimed one, Nigeria’s lone silver came alongside four finalists in individual events.
‘We commend our athletes for giving Nigeria a positive image in Tokyo,’ Okowa said in a press statement. ‘The country reached four finals viz the men’s 100m, women’s 100m hurdles, men’s 400m hurdles (where a national record was set), men’s 200m, and the men’s shot put, and capped it all with a silver medal. For us in the AFN, it was a huge achievement.’
Speaking after a strategic stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, Okowa reaffirmed the Federation’s commitment to supporting elite athletes ahead of the next Commonwealth Games.
He emphasized that the AFN, in collaboration with sponsors and the National Sports Commission (NSC), would provide athletes with essential backing in training, welfare, and logistics.
‘The abilities of Nigerian athletes are never in doubt,’ Okowa said. ‘We are working hard to fulfill promises made to them and urge them to remain patient as we finalize key arrangements.’
He highlighted the current form of top athletes such as Tobi Amusan, Udodi Onwuzurike, Ezekiel Nathaniel, Sunday Israel Okon, and Chukwuebuka Enekwechi as a reason for optimism.
Okowa also addressed lingering issues around athletes’ visas and kits, noting that the partnership with HiRacer for the Tokyo Championships was temporary. He said the AFN would engage reputable stakeholders and sportswear manufacturers to resolve these challenges.
Finally, Okowa appealed to the media to continue projecting Nigeria’s athletes positively: ‘Such encouragement would motivate them to excel on the global stage.’
