By Teddy Nwanunobi

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‎With 29 days to the opening of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, Nigeria is intensifying preparations to showcase some of the country’s most promising young sporting talents on the global stage.

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‎The Games, scheduled to hold from October 31 to November 13, 2026, will bring together approximately 2,700 athletes aged 17 and under from around the world for two weeks of competition and activities centred on sport, youth development and Olympic values.

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‎For Nigeria, the event provides an opportunity to expose emerging athletes to high-level international competition while strengthening the country’s pathway for identifying and developing future sporting stars.

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‎Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon Bukola Olopade, said the Games are an important platform for nurturing the next generation of Nigerian athletes and building a sustainable talent-development system.

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‎According to Olopade, the Commission remains focused on supporting emerging talents and ensuring that participation in major international youth competitions contributes to a stronger pipeline of athletes for future Olympic and global sporting events.

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‎The Dakar 2026 programme will feature 25 sports, in addition to 10 engagement sports designed to broaden participation and interaction beyond the main competition programme.Sports

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‎Events will be held across three host zones in Senegal — Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly — as athletes and officials from across the world converge on the West African country for the Games.

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‎As the countdown enters its final month, attention is turning to the young athletes who will represent Nigeria in Dakar and the opportunities the Games will provide for them to gain valuable international experience.

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‎The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will also mark a historic milestone for the continent, with Africa hosting an Olympic sporting event for the first time.