Two-time Olympian Samuel Ikpefan has called for stronger institutional and financial support to help Africa unlock its vast but largely untapped potential in winter sports, following his participation at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
Ikpefan, who represented Nigeria as the country’s sole athlete and flagbearer in cross-country skiing, described his second Winter Games appearance as both inspiring and challenging.
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He said the experience once again exposed the gap between African athletes and their counterparts from countries with well-established winter sports structures.
“Competing at another Winter Olympics shows what is possible,” Ikpefan said. “But it also shows the strain African athletes face without proper systems in place.”
The skier revealed that his journey to the Games required enormous personal sacrifice, including self-funding large parts of his preparation while balancing multiple jobs to sustain his career.
“At some point, you’re training in the morning, working during the day and still trying to recover like a professional athlete,” he explained. “It’s not sustainable in the long run.”
Ikpefan believes Africa’s absence in winter sports is not due to lack of talent but rather lack of opportunity, education and investment.
“People assume Africa cannot compete in winter sports, but that’s not true,” he said. “With the right support, athletes can be developed anywhere.”
He stressed that global sports bodies, alongside national federations, must play a role in providing access to training facilities, funding and technical expertise.
“If structures are created, African nations can build competitive winter sports programmes,” Ikpefan noted. “Some countries even have snow regions, but no system to harness that advantage.”
According to Ikpefan, early exposure and athlete education are crucial to building a sustainable future.
“It’s about starting early, identifying talent and supporting them properly,” he said. “Winter sports should not be reserved for a few privileged countries.”
Despite the challenges, Ikpefan described representing Nigeria on the Olympic stage as a proud moment.
“Carrying the flag for Nigeria is always special,” he added. “It shows that African athletes belong on every global stage.”
He concluded by expressing hope that his journey would inspire policy changes and future athletes.
“I’ve shown that it’s possible,” Ikpefan said. “Now the focus should be on making it easier for the next generation to follow.”
