Nigeria aims to be the first African nation to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and inaugurated a 14-strong committee to develop the bid.
President Olusegun Obasanjo said hosting the event, which includes athletes from Britain and its former colonies, would be a critical step toward a future bid to stage the Olympic Games and the World Cup finals.
If the bid succeeds Nigeria would be the first African country to host the Commonwealth Games since the event was first staged in 1930. Melbourne is hosting the next Games in 2006 with New Delhi hosting the 2010 event.