Nigeria Officially Joins Race to Host Historic Formula 1 Grand Prix
Nigeria has officially entered the bidding process to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix, as confirmed by the National Sports Commission (NSC).
The commission’s chairman, Shehu Dikko, revealed that Opus Racing Promotions has been appointed as Nigeria’s official representative for the bid. In a strategic move, Dikko has extended formal invitations to Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, and the globally respected circuit design firm Tilke Engineers & Architects to visit Abuja for talks with both government and private sector leaders.
In his remarks, Dikko emphasized the broader vision behind the bid:
“Bringing a Formula 1 Grand Prix to Nigeria would elevate national pride, stimulate infrastructure development, encourage private sector investment, and open up significant job opportunities. This initiative aims to position sports as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economic growth and social unity.”
If successful, Nigeria would become the first African country to host an F1 race since South Africa’s event in 1993. Notably, South Africa and Rwanda are also actively pursuing bids to host future Grands Prix in their respective cities, making the race to bring F1 back to the continent increasingly competitive.
