Nigeria finished seventh on the Birmingham 2022 medals table ©Getty Images

Yusuf Ali, who was the Nigeria's team coordinator at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, has revealed the secret behind the nation's successful outing at the multi-sport event.

Ali, who is a three-time Olympian and  a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, heaped praise on the positive synergy between Nigeria Olympic Committee and country’s Sports Ministry as the reason for Nigeria’s best-ever showing at the event.

Nigeria finished with 12 gold, nine silver and 14 bronze medals to finish seventh on the overall table at Birmingham 2022.  

"I have been to so many Games, Olympic Games (three times), Commonwealth Games; this is the first time I saw a synergy between the sports ministry and the Nigeria Olympic committee (NOC)," Ali was quoted as saying by Nigeria Info.

Nigeria's Tobi Amusan who won women's 100m hurdles gold at the World Championships backed it up with another win Birmingham ©Getty Images
Nigeria's Tobi Amusan who won women's 100m hurdles gold at the World Championships backed it up with another win Birmingham ©Getty Images 

"And the Athletes knew what they were getting before their events; they got their monies while they were in camp before the events started.

"We can see now that our athletes don’t know how to lose again, they are now winning and we must capitalise on that."

Ali also said that he had never seen such a collaboration between the two bodies since he started competing for Nigeria in the late 1970s.