Favour Ofili, one of Nigeria’s most talented sprinters, has officially switched her allegiance to Turkey. This development was confirmed by Tonobok Okowa, the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), during a press conference at the 2025 National Athletics Championship held in Lagos.

Okowa expressed concern that Ofili’s decision may not be the last, revealing that several elite Nigerian athletes are already being approached by other countries. These nations are offering better training facilities, financial support, and overall improved conditions that many Nigerian athletes are not currently receiving at home.

He pointed out that while Ofili’s name still appears under Nigeria on the World Athletics website, her switch to Turkey is already in motion and expected to be completed before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

According to Okowa, one of the biggest reasons athletes are leaving is the attractive financial packages being offered by other countries. He noted that the kind of money offered to Ofili was too tempting for most athletes to reject. He used the moment to call on the Nigerian government and stakeholders to step in and support homegrown talents before more are lost.

Reports suggest that Turkey, in particular, has been actively recruiting top athletes from different countries, offering as much as $500,000 to those willing to represent them. This strategy appears to be working, especially with countries like Nigeria struggling to provide enough resources for their sports stars.

Okowa’s warning is clear: unless urgent support is given, Nigeria may continue to lose its best athletes to countries willing to invest in their dreams.