Smiles for Lagos athletes as govt pays ₦36.3m in Gateway games

Athletes who represented Lagos State at the 2024 National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games, have begun receiving their cash rewards after the state government approved a total payout of ₦36.3m for medal winners, Sport360NG reports.

Several athletes confirmed the payments at the weekend, following an earlier announcement by the Lagos State Sports Commission that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had sanctioned the disbursement of incentives for medals won at the festival, which was hosted by Ogun State in May 2025.

Team Lagos finished sixth on the medals table, securing 38 gold, 43 silver and 88 bronze medals.

A breakdown of the rewards shows that 32 individual gold medallists received ₦300,000 each, with the same amount paid to five athletes who won gold medals in doubles events. One team gold medal attracted a total of ₦700,000, which was shared among the athletes involved.

Individual and doubles silver medallists earned ₦200,000 each, while silver-winning teams shared ₦500,000. Bronze medallists in individual and doubles events received ₦150,000 each, with bronze-winning teams paid ₦350,000.

“We started receiving the payments last Friday after we were informed that the funds had been approved,” one of the athletes said on condition of anonymity.

The payment to the senior athletes followed Lagos State’s historic outing at the 2025 National Youth Games in Asaba, where the state’s junior contingent finished top of the medals table for the first time, dethroning hosts Delta State. Team Lagos won 110 medals at the youth games, made up of 52 gold, 32 silver and 26 bronze medals.

That achievement prompted the state government to promptly reward the junior athletes, a gesture that was later extended to the senior team.

Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu, said the government’s support for athletes went beyond rhetoric, stressing that welfare reforms had been institutionalised.

“We have institutionalised transparency, accountability and dignity in athlete management,” Fatodu said. “This includes the introduction of a digital athlete portal with biometric ID integration, ensuring that stipends, insurance and welfare support reach the right athletes promptly and without intermediaries.”

He added that a streamlined payment system had also been introduced to ensure timely disbursement of allowances, alongside the appointment of an Athletes’ Liaison Officer to serve as a direct link between competitors and the commission.

Looking ahead to the 2026 National Sports Festival in Enugu State, Fatodu said Lagos was aiming to build on its recent successes.

“Our preparations are anchored on the Lagos excellence model, which was validated by our historic performance at the 2025 National Youth Games,” he said. “As we look ahead to Enugu 2026, our objective is to replicate this success at the senior level and further consolidate Lagos State’s position as a leading sporting force in Nigeria.”

The athletes, meanwhile, expressed confidence that the improved welfare structure would translate into stronger performances, noting that higher standards had now been set.

“From our discussions with management, it’s clear that only the best will make the team going forward,” one athlete said. “There will be no room for sentiment. Everyone has to earn their place, and that has pushed us to work even harder.”