By Arinzechi Chukwunonso
The Nigeria Aquatics Federation (NAqF) has earned continental recognition after Africa Aquatics named Nigeria the Fastest Developing Federation in Africa at the close of the 17th Africa Aquatics Championships in Oran, Algeria.
The honour capped a strong performance by Team Nigeria at the championships held from 5 to 10 May 2026, where Nigerian swimmers secured three bronze medals and delivered several impressive results across different events.
One of the standout performances came from young swimmer India Kate Brown, who won bronze in the Girls’ 100m Butterfly with a time of 1:05.73.
In the Senior Men’s 100m Butterfly final, Collins Ebinga finished fifth with a time of 54.92, narrowly missing a podium finish in a closely contested race.
Clinton Opute also impressed in the Men’s 50m Freestyle final, recording a personal best of 22.94 seconds, while just missing out on a medal position. Junior swimmer Ivan Ijomoni also showed promise, reflecting Nigeria’s growing depth in the sport.
The results highlight Nigeria’s steady rise in African aquatics, driven by ongoing reforms, athlete development programmes, and increased investment in swimming.
The progress has been linked to strategic interventions by the National Sports Commission led by Mallam Shehu Dikko and Hon. Bukola Olopade, which previously supported Nigeria’s strong outing at the 16th Africa Aquatics Championships in Cairo, Egypt, where swimmers set African records and won a historic silver medal on the global stage.
The Nigeria Aquatics Federation has continued to build on that momentum through grassroots development, coaching support, and international exposure for athletes.
Officials of the federation expressed appreciation to the National Sports Commission, coaches, athletes, sponsors, and stakeholders for their support during the championship in Algeria.
With medals, personal bests, and continental recognition, Nigeria leaves Oran with renewed confidence and optimism for future international competitions.
