Nigeria Won’t Miss Any World Cup For 8 Yrs Under My Presidency — Sowore

The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2027 general elections, Omoyele Sowore, has promised to transform Nigeria into a major global sports hub if elected president.

Sowore made the promise on Saturday in Enugu while participating in the 2026 Enugu City International Marathon.

He said his administration would ensure that Nigeria consistently qualifies for the FIFA World Cup throughout his proposed eight-year tenure, while also developing other sporting disciplines to enable Nigerian athletes compete successfully on the international stage.

The AAC candidate, who participated in the 10-kilometre race for the second time, said he returned to the event after being impressed by the organisation of the previous edition.

“Well, I came back because I was impressed with the first one and I have seen so far that the organisation is impressive,” he said.

Sowore described road races as important platforms for promoting healthy living, community development and youth engagement, calling on states across the country to organise similar sporting events.

He, however, noted that the Enugu event was technically not a full marathon, explaining that a marathon covers 42 kilometres, while a half marathon is 21 kilometres.

According to him, sporting activities can improve public health, strengthen communities and create a link between sports and culture.

He also said the sports industry could provide young Nigerians with opportunities to become global ambassadors while contributing significantly to the country’s economy.

“Most importantly, this is how to build young people to be global ambassadors of your country. There’s a big economy out there that is known as the sports economy.

“We call it the orange economy. It’s an economic model that, if well-developed, can bring more money than oil,” he said.

Sowore cited Brazil and Kenya as examples of countries that have leveraged their sporting strengths, particularly football and long-distance running, to create economic opportunities and international recognition.

“Nigeria has 200 million people. I don’t know why we are not beating Kenya in all the long-distance races,” he said.

He promised that his administration would invest in sports infrastructure and create an enabling environment for athletes to develop and compete in various sporting disciplines.

“Nigeria will become a major sports hub for the world. It doesn’t matter which sports you are doing. I’m a swimmer too, by the way.

“I come from the Niger Delta region. I don’t know why we are not winning swimming medals. We have great runners,” he said.

Sowore also criticised Nigeria’s sports administration, particularly the management of football, arguing that the country possesses enough talent to achieve better results internationally.

He said poor administration and inadequate support for athletes had prevented Nigeria from fully realising its sporting potential.

On football, Sowore described Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the World Cup as unacceptable, promising to ensure that the country does not miss the tournament under his administration.

“We are supposed to be at the World Cup. If I’m president of Nigeria, we are not missing any World Cup for my eight years. I’ll make sure that happens.

“This is because we get the best and the most competent and we will provide the environment for sports to thrive in this country,” he said.