By Ghazali Ibrahim
Nigeria’s Eniola Bolaji has risen to World No. 1 in the women’s SL3 category, according to the latest rankings released by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Tuesday, February 17.
Bolaji’s climb to the top follows her silver medal performance at the 2026 World Para Badminton Championship in Bahrain. The Nigerian star finished second after falling 2–0 (21–12, 21–17) to Japan’s Shino Kawai, ranked world No. 7, in the final held at the New Capital Hall on February 14.
Despite missing out on gold, the result was enough to propel the multiple national and African champion to the summit of the global rankings, displacing Indonesia’s Qonitah Ikhtiar Syakuroh.
Her position was further strengthened by her successful title defence at the Egypt International in January, where she retained her crown for the second straight year.
President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, described the development as a historic milestone for both Nigeria and the African continent.
“This is the biggest news of the year, Eniola Bolaji claiming the World No. 1 spot following her participation in the 2024 Paralympic Games. She would likely have attained this position earlier if she had competed in more tournaments last year,” Orbih said.
He noted that Bolaji’s resurgence in form has been evident since last season.
“She regained full stability last season and has carried that momentum into this year, already featuring in two major tournaments with outstanding performances,” he added.
Orbih also credited key stakeholders for their contributions to the athlete’s success, highlighting the roles of the National Sports Commission, the Abia State Government and GIG Logistics in supporting para-badminton development.
“Their continued backing has created the enabling environment for our athletes to train, compete and excel on the global stage,” he said.
While acknowledging the disappointment of narrowly missing out on gold in Bahrain, Orbih urged Nigerians to celebrate the broader achievement.
“She has now become the first African to win a silver medal at the Para-Badminton World Championship. The federation will continue to provide the necessary support as she prepares for upcoming tournaments. We are confident she will continue to make Nigeria and Africa proud.”
Bolaji’s elevation to World No. 1 marks another landmark in her career and reinforces her growing influence in global para badminton.
