AQUATICS FEDERATION MAPS OUT YOUTH SWIMMING EVENTS FOR 2026

By: Gyang Dakwo

The Nigeria Aquatics Federation has unveiled plans to discover talent and grow swimming from the grassroots across the country, and it says young swimmers will be busy throughout 2026.

Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, President of the Federation, Chamberlain Dunkwu, said “swimmers will not be idle in 2026”, as the body has lined up more than six national youth tournaments for the year.

He said the focus of the federation is to build the future of swimming through steady investment in grassroots development nationwide, and he stressed that this approach would help create a strong pipeline of talent.

Dunkwu revealed that three youth tournaments will hold between February and April. These include the second edition of the ‘Swim to the Future’ championship and a maiden Inter-School Swimming Competition.

He also said the National Junior Swimming Championship, tagged ‘Swim for Life’, will take place in Lagos, and it will give young swimmers another platform to compete and grow.

“Today marks a defining moment for aquatics development in Nigeria.

“We are not merely announcing events; we are unveiling a vision, a pathway, and a promise for Nigeria’s swimming future.

According to him, the federation has taken a clear decision to build the sport “from the grassroots upward”.

“NAqF is investing vigorously in grassroots development to widen the base and produce talent consistently,” Dunkwu said.

The federation president also confirmed that he would personally sponsor the second ‘Swim to the Future’ championship, which will hold in Abuja.

“We are not chasing short-term success; we are building a future-proof structure that develops athletes holistically,” he said.

Dunkwu added that the federation has engaged a marketing consulting firm to improve branding, partnerships and commercial growth, and he said this move would help support long-term development.

He disclosed that the firm, Thrive Resource Centre, is expected to support the federation’s long-term sustainability strategy.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Catherine Enaohwo, said the firm would prioritise human capital development and stable funding.

“We are honoured to be part of this journey. Our focus is human capital development and securing consistent funding,” Enaohwo said.

She added that the partnership would be long-term, leveraging relationships to create sustainable opportunities for the federation.

The ‘Swim to the Future’ event is scheduled for March 7 in Abuja. The Inter-School Swimming Competition will take place from March 25 to March 27, while the National Junior Swimming Championship will hold in Lagos from April 2 to April 4.