Amusan leads Nigeria’s African Athletics Championships team

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World record holder Tobi Amusan has been named in Nigeria’s 45-athlete contingent for the forthcoming CAA Senior Athletics Championships in Accra, with a blend of established stars and emerging talents expected to spearhead the country’s medal push, The PUNCH reports.

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The Athletics Federation of Nigeria unveiled a squad of 25 female and 20 male athletes for the continental championships scheduled to hold from May 12 to 17 at the University of Ghana Sports Complex.

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Amusan headlines the women’s squad alongside one of the fastest female sprinters this season, Rosemary Chukwuma.

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Amusan is expected to compete in the women’s 100m hurdles alongside Adaobi Tabugbo and Janet Sunday, while Chukwuma, who missed the World Relays in Gaborone, will feature in the women’s 100m and the 4x100m relay team alongside Miracle Ezechukwu, Maria Thompson-Omokwe and Tejiri Ugoh.

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The women’s team also includes experienced quarter-miler Patience Okon-George, long jumper Ruth Usoro and hammer throw specialist Oyesade Olatoye.

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Notable absentees from the women’s squad are four-time African long jump champion Ese Brume and former discus champion Chioma Onyekwere, who recently dabbled in weightlifting ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

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In the men’s category, sprint star Favour Ashe and Africa’s leading shot put athlete Chukwuebuka Enekwechi will spearhead Nigeria’s campaign.

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The men’s sprint team also features 2020 Olympic finalist Enoch Adegoke, Usheoritse Itsekiri and reigning National Sports Festival champion Chidera Ezeakor, while the 400m and relay squads will be anchored by Samson Nathaniel, Emmanuel Ojeli and Chidi Okezie.

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Nigeria will also compete in the field events through athletes such as Romeo Bernard, Emmanuel Audu and javelin thrower Adams Samuel Kure.

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Deathlon national record holder, Jami Schlueter, will also get the chance to make his Nigerian debut in Ghana as one of the contenders for a podium finish, while also strengthening Nigeria’s prospects in the combined events ahead of the Commonwealth Games in July.

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Schlueter’s rapid rise has followed his recent switch of allegiance to Nigeria after previously representing Great Britain.

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Since making the switch, he has quickly rewritten the national record books.

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On February 22, 2026, he set a new Nigerian indoor heptathlon record at the US Combined Events Championships in Indianapolis, scoring 5,871 points to move to second on the African all-time list.

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The championships in Accra will provide another major platform for Nigerian athletes to test themselves against the continent’s best as preparations continue for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

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Meanwhile, the 24 athletes who represented Nigeria at the World Relays have reportedly resumed camp ahead of the championships and are expected to be joined by other invited athletes.

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