Paralympic bronze medalist Eniola Bolaji
National Sports Commission (NSC) has congratulated Nigeria’s para-badminton star Mariam Eniola Bolaji for becoming world number one in the women’s SL3 category, according to Africa’s Sport Network.
Bolaji, 20, reached the top of the world rankings after strong performances in recent international competitions.
She won silver at the 2026 World Para Badminton Championship in Bahrain, losing narrowly in the final to Japan’s Shino Kawai. She also won the Egypt International in January, which helped her overtake Indonesia’s Qonitah Ikhtiar Syakuroh.
The NSC called her achievement a “landmark moment for Nigerian sports” and praised the Badminton Federation of Nigeria for supporting her career. The commission also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for backing sports development initiatives.
Bolaji is now the first African para-badminton player to reach world number one and the first African to play in a World Para Badminton Championship final.
Fellow Nigerian player Anuoluwapo Opeyori described her rise as “truly inspiring,” saying it shows what Nigerian athletes can achieve with hard work and focus.
This ranking adds to her list of milestones. Bolaji also made history at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, winning bronze in the women’s SL3 event ; the first medal for Africa in badminton at the Games.
Fans and sports followers have flooded social media with messages congratulating her.
Attention now turns to Bolaji’s next competitions, where she will aim to defend her top spot and keep Nigeria on the global badminton map.
