Nigerian athlete Favour Ofili has confirmed that she will now be representing Turkey after years of frustration with Nigeria’s sports administrators.
The 21-year-old national record holder in the 200 metres announced this on her social media platforms, ending months of speculation about her future.
“Wrapping up my 2025 season has been a whirlwind of new experiences and big decisions. As some of you have heard, I’m also starting a new chapter representing Turkey,” she wrote.
Ofili, the only Nigerian woman to have run under 22 seconds in the 200m with a personal best of 21.96 seconds, is expected to be eligible to compete for Turkey from 2027 under international transfer rules.
Her decision follows a long-running dispute with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC). She said repeated disappointments, particularly during the Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games, left her disillusioned.
“I am proud to have represented Nigeria for many years in a highly successful way, having won six gold medals, two silver medals, and two bronze medals in championship meets and reaching the Olympic 200 metres final.
“But the neglect I faced from the AFN and the NOC, especially during the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, left me with little choice,” she explained.
Ofili stressed her move was not financially motivated. “This change comes from the heart, not from financial motives. I am truly grateful to have discovered a new home in Turkey, and I am excited for what is ahead,” she added.
Ofili’s departure is the latest episode in a series of setbacks for Nigerian athletics. Between 2022 and 2024, reports indicated that Ofili had clashed with officials over welfare issues. By early 2025, rumours of her potential switch to Turkey grew stronger, with analysts noting the country’s aggressive recruitment of foreign athletes.
The AFN president, Tonobok Okowa, confirmed the move during the National Athletics Championships in Lagos.
“The kind of money they put on the table to get her is not something many athletes would refuse. That is why we are pleading with Nigeria as a nation and our government to come out and support us, so we don’t keep losing our athletes,” he said.
Ofili now joins the list of Nigerian athletes who have abandoned the country after disputes with administrators. Francis Obikwelu left for Portugal, Gloria Alozie switched to Spain, while Femi Ogunode chose to represent Qatar.
With the switch finalised, Ofili will sit out the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo before beginning her international career under the Turkish flag.
