"I am excited at the new challenge and relishing the prospect of working for Team Nigeria," Greene said.

"It is my own way of giving back to Africa."

Greene's is the latest in a series of high-profile US recruitments by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), which, in November last year, appointed Greene's compatriots Eric Campbell, the former Georgia State University coach, and former US national coach Angie Taylor as, respectively, high performance director and performance director.

Nigeria's Sports Minister Mallam Abdullahi claimed  at the time that the new direction had been taken in reaction to the disappointment of Nigeria's performance in athletics at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

"One of the key lessons we learned was that at this time and age, no country can hope to perform and achieve podium success at the global level without a robust high performance system that translates talent into excellence," Abdullahi said.

"I want to tell you that in Angie Taylor and Eric Campbell we have got the best possible hands that we can get anywhere in the world."

Campbell commented: "We want to catch up with the rest of the world and surpass them and this we will do with great research and training at the elite level."

Blessing Okagbare put Nigeria on the medals table single-handedly at last year's IAAF World Championships in Moscow, where she took silver in the long jump and 200m, but the Nigerian Athletics Federation is now investing in creating a broader base of achievement ©Getty Images

Taylor added: "We can prove to the rest of the world that Nigeria is still here and still alive."

Greene's official title will be relay coordinator for Team Nigeria, starting at the Mt Sac Relays in California later this month.

Before the Sydney 2000 gold medallist gets to Scotland, the former world record holder will be guiding his sprinters at the inaugural IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas from May 24 to 25.

Greene's contract is due to terminate after the Africa Senior Athletics Championships in Marrakesh, Morocco, in August.

In November, Nigeria's President, Goodluck Jonathan, gave a reward of $20,000 (£11,900/€14,400) to Blessing Okagbare after she had single-handedly put her country on the medals table at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow by winning silver in the long jump and 200m.

The Commonwealth Games are due to take place from July 23 to August 3.

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