Nigeria @ 66: Six greatest sporting achievements, upsets since 1960

Nigeria has achieved remarkable feats in sports since gaining independence in 1960. The national football team, known as the Super Eagles, have claimed three Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) titles, their first in 1980 and the most recent in 2013. They also marked their FIFA World Cup debut in 1994, reaching the round of 16 and reaching fifth in the FIFA rankings, a record for an African nation.

The women's football team, the Super Falcons, have dominated African women's football, winning 10 Women's Africa Cup of Nations titles. They have had a streak of consecutive wins from 1998 to 2006, followed by a return to dominance in 2014, 2016, 2018, and finally in 2025. The team also achieved a comeback against hosts Morocco at the 2024 edition of the tournament.

Nigeria's footballers have also excelled individually, with players like Christian Chukwu, Emmanuel Amuneke, Asisat Oshoala, and Perpetua Nkwocha receiving numerous accolades. Nigeria has also won five FIFA U-17 World Cup titles, with the most recent in 2013. Their men's team also won Olympic gold in 1996 under the captaincy of Nwankwo Kanu, with a memorable comeback against Brazil.

Nigeria's women's basketball team, the D’Tigress, have also shown dominance, winning the FIBA Women's AfroBasket five consecutive times from 2017 to 2025. They made history in the 2024 Paris Olympics by reaching the quarter-finals, becoming the first African basketball team, male or female, to advance in the tournament.