President Bola Tinubu has declared Nigeria’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
The Nigerian President also declared that hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games is a “dream that must be realised.”
Tinubu made this known on his official X page on Wednesday, pointing out that no African country has hosted the Games.
According to him, staging the 2030 edition in Nigeria would send a “powerful message” that the continent is central to the Commonwealth’s future.
The President said: “To the Commonwealth Family,
“It is time for Africa. After 100 years of the Commonwealth Games, they have never been hosted on African soil. By bringing the Commonwealth Centenary Games to Nigeria in 2030, you will send a powerful message that every region of the Commonwealth matters, and that Africa is not only part of the story, but central to its future.
“Nigeria is the gateway. Africa is the stage. The Commonwealth is the family. Let us make history together in 2030. Let us complete the circle of Commonwealth unity.
“The dream must be realized. The time is now.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the President’s comments came after Nigeria officially submitted a proposal to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
This was confirmed by the Commonwealth Sport (CS) President Dr Donald Rukare.
Rukare had disclosed that both India and Nigeria submitted formal proposals to host the 2030 centenary Commonwealth Games by the deadline of 31 August 2025.
Rukare said: “We are delighted to confirm that India and Nigeria have submitted exciting formal proposals to host the centenary edition of the Commonwealth Games in 2030. This positive response from two sporting powerhouse nations of the Commonwealth demonstrates the continued significance and legacy potential of the Commonwealth Games and the strength and appeal of our reimagined, sustainable Games model.
“I would like to thank the Commonwealth Games Associations (CGA) of India and Nigeria and their respective Governments for the dynamic and ambitious spirit in which they have engaged in the collaborative dialogue phase. The Commonwealth Sport team has been inspired by the National Sports Policies presented and excited about how the Games can advance national ambitions and create legacy benefits for local communities.
“The 2030 Evaluation Commission now has the important and difficult task of reviewing and evaluating the proposals and recommending a host to the Executive Board and ultimately, the 74 nations and territories of the Commonwealth Sport Movement.”
The President added that both proposals will now be assessed by an Evaluation Commission appointed by the CS Executive Board, including in-person presentations by the Candidate Hosts at a meeting in London in late September 2025.
The Evaluation Commission will then report its findings to the CS Executive Board, which will recommend a host to the 74 member nations and territories for approval at the General Assembly in late November 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland.
The Evaluation Commission is chaired by CS Vice President Sandra Osborne KC, who also serves as the Federation’s Sports Committee Chair and President of the Barbados Commonwealth Games Association and Olympic Committee.
Recall that Africa has never hosted the Games since their inception in 1930. Nigeria made an unsuccessful bid to host the 2014 Games. The city of Durban in South Africa won the bid to host the 2022 Games, but could not do so due to financial difficulties. Birmingham in the UK took over and hosted the Games.
