Nigeria’s rising swimming star, Abduljabar Adama, has taken a major step in his athletic and academic journey after signing a scholarship agreement with the University of Tennessee, Spoets247 reports.
Adama joined one of the leading collegiate swimming programs in the United States.
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Adama, who trains at Mount Kelly Swimming in England, will join the Tennessee Volunteers in August 2026, teaming up with Lithuanian teammate Mantas Kauspedas as part of the Vols’ recruiting class of 2030.
The 17-year-old Lagos-born sensation grabbed global attention earlier this year when he won Nigeria’s first-ever World Aquatics medal at the World Junior Championships in Otopeni, Romania.
He clinched silver in the men’s 50m butterfly with a time of 23.64, having earlier broken the Nigerian national record with a blistering 23.48 in the semi-finals.
Adama has continued to rise rapidly, setting 13 national records across long course and short course events.
His standout performances at the 2025 Swim England SW Winter Championships included victories in the 50m freestyle (21.64), 100m freestyle (48.93), and 50m butterfly (23.37).
Abduljabar Adama also represented Nigeria at the 2024 World Short Course Championships in Budapest, underlining his status as one of Africa’s most promising young sprinters.
The University of Tennessee — renowned for developing world-class swimmers — adds Adama to a strong recruiting list that already includes top U.S. and international prospects.
With his combination of speed, versatility, and record-breaking form, Adama’s move to the NCAA is expected to further accelerate his development as he continues to fly the Nigerian flag on the global stage.
