Nigeria miss out as centenary Commonwealth Games host

Nigeria has lost its bid to host the historic centenary edition of the Commonwealth Games to India.

The Commonwealth Games Federation recommended the western Indian City of Ahmedabad over Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, to host the event.

Ahmedabad was recommended to the Commonwealth Games Federation by its evaluation committee on Wednesday.

India is set to host the Commonwealth Games for the second time in its history after the Asian country successfully hosted the 2010 edition of the event.

However, the recommendation of the evaluation committee is subject to the approval of the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly, set to take place in Glasgow on November 26.

Dr. P. T. Usha, President of the Commonwealth Games Association of India, says India hosting the Commonwealth Games is not about sports but an opportunity to show India’s cultural diversity to the world.

“Hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2030 is more than just a sporting achievement; it is a chance to unite our people, celebrate diversity, and inspire the next generation of athletes across the Commonwealth.”

The iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, which can hold up to 132,000 spectators among other state-of-the-art sporting facilities in the city, largely influenced the committee’s decision to pick Ahmedabad over Abuja.

For Nigeria, missing out on hosting the event is another setback in its bid to host a major international sporting event after it missed out on hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which took place in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Nigerian officials expressed disappointment but vowed that the country will continue to invest in sports infrastructure and create an enabling environment to increase its chances in the future.

Meanwhile, Nigeria will shift attention to hosting the 2027 Africa Youth Games and strengthen its bid to host the 2031 African Games.