President of the Kickboxing Federation of Nigeria, Mykel Eneduwa, has credited transparent leadership and sweeping reforms at the National Sports Commission for Nigeria’s Africa-leading finish at the Commonwealth Games.

Team Nigeria returned from Glasgow 2026 with a seventh-place overall finish, topping the African standings with 24 medals made up of 10 gold, seven silver and seven bronze.

Eneduwa commended NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, and Director-General, Bukola Olopade, for prompt reward disbursements and administrative reforms he said removed the distractions that had defined previous outings.

“For years, Nigeria’s outings at major competitions were defined as much by unpaid allowances and administrative issues as by results. That narrative was absent in Scotland,” he said.

“Dikko and Olopade got the results by removing distractions and putting athletes first. Without the usual welfare concerns, the team competed with confidence, and that confidence translated to record-breaking runs, historic firsts, and consistent podium finishes.”

Nigeria’s gold rush began with Esther Nworgu’s win in the women’s lightweight para powerlifting, before Goodness Nwachukwu claimed one of the Games’ standout moments, winning the women’s F42 discus and breaking her own world record. On the track, Ezekiel Nathaniel became the first Nigerian man to win Commonwealth Games gold in the men’s 400m hurdles, while Samuel Ogazi added gold in the men’s 400m.

Chukwuebuka Enekwechi delivered Nigeria’s first-ever Commonwealth Games gold in the men’s shot put, Ruth Usoro claimed silver in the women’s long jump, and Idris Riluwan added another gold in para powerlifting. Tobi Amusan, competing through injury, still reached the podium with bronze in the women’s 100m hurdles.

Eneduwa said the results reflected structural changes beyond the medal table, pointing to governance and corporate branding reforms the NSC has pushed across national federations.