In a major boost for Nigerian athletics ahead of the 2025 season, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) on Wednesday officially released a comprehensive calendar of domestic meets aimed at helping athletes hit the stringent qualification standards for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo later this year.
AFN president Tonobok Okowa described the initiative as “a game-changer” during a well-attended press briefing at the federation’s secretariat. “For too long our athletes have had to travel abroad just to chase qualification marks. With the new NSC budget now available, we have decided to bring high-quality competitions home. This calendar runs from February through June and will feature prize money, proper timing equipment, medical support and live television coverage so that every performance counts,” Okowa said.
The series will kick off with the AFN Grand Prix 1 in Lagos on February 8, followed by events in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and a grand finale in Ibadan. Top stars including world 100m hurdles champion Tobi Amusan, Olympic bronze medallist Ese Brume, sprinter Favour Ofili and thrower Chukwuebuka Enekwechi are all expected to compete in at least three meets to fine-tune their form.
Amusan, who is currently training in Jamaica with Usain Bolt’s former coach Glen Mills, welcomed the announcement on her Instagram page: “This is exactly what we have been asking for. Domestic meets with proper standards will help us stay sharp and motivated. I can’t wait to run in front of my people again.”
Ese Brume, fresh from receiving the first NSC training grant earlier this month, added: “Competing at home gives me extra energy. The federation has listened to the athletes and I am sure we will see many personal bests and qualification marks from these events.”
Coaches and technical experts have also praised the move. Former national coach Sunday Bada said the calendar will reduce the financial burden on athletes and allow for better monitoring of their progress. “We can now see who is in form and who needs extra work before we finalise the team for Tokyo. This is professional planning,” Bada noted.
Social media reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Within hours of the announcement, the hashtag #AFNMeets trended nationwide with fans posting messages like “Finally! Our athletes will no longer suffer in silence. Tokyo, here we come!” and “Tobi and Ese running in Nigeria again? I am buying my ticket already!”
The AFN has partnered with several corporate sponsors and the National Sports Commission to ensure all meets are broadcast live on NTA and selected satellite channels. Officials say the prize money for each event will range from ₦500,000 for winners to ₦100,000 for top eight finishers, a huge incentive for up-and-coming athletes from secondary schools and universities.
With this calendar now in place, Nigerian athletics is positioning itself for what many believe could be its most successful global outing in over a decade. The entire nation will be watching closely as the domestic season unfolds and the road to Tokyo 2025 officially begins.
