Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung led a delegation headed by Antoine Goetschy, the associate director of the Youth Olympic Games, on an inspection of facilities in the country's capital city.

A video presentation was given to the IOC officials present, also including Gilbert Felli, a senior Olympic Games advisor.

Mathieu Pouret, a culture and education programme expert, was also in attendance, as well as consultant Melina Simm.

The presentation was claimed to highlight Nigeria's prior experience in hosting major events and their motivation for hosting the Youth Olympics.

Venues, accommodation and potential sites for festivals were also included.

It is also claimed the presentation showed how hosting the Youth Olympics could help further development in Nigeria.

"I want to commend the IOC for developing a mechanism for Africa to be taken along through the changes introduced in the organisation of the Youth Olympics," Dalung said.

"I want to assure you that the capacity of the country to deliver is not in doubt.

"We will ensure that we package a brand of the Youth Games which after 2022, will set an agenda for the IOC to emulate.

"Abuja is ready to host because we have hosted international competitions in the past.

"Moreover, the IOC has emphasised that countries seeking to host the Games should not build new structures but improve on their existing ones or make use of temporary facilities which will be dismantled after the Games.

"We have the organisational capacity, the experience and the technical know-how to host.

"Abuja as a city has most of the requirements as enumerated to us by the IOC in a video presentation.

"We hope that at the end of the day, Nigeria will be chosen to host the 2022 Games for Africa."

Nigeria Olympic Committee President Habu Gumel, an IOC member, was also present on the visit.

The Abuja National Stadium was among the main proposed competition venues which were assessed by the officials.

Botswana, Nigeria and Senegal are being visited by the delegation after the IOC agreed to proactively pursue African hosts for the 2022 Youth Olympics at their Session before the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics in February.

Nowhere in Africa has ever hosted an Olympic Games event before, but since then Gaborone, Abuja and Dakar, the respective capitals of Botswana, Nigeria and Senegal, have all come forward to express interest.

Tunis in Tunisia also hoped to enter the race but their potential candidacy has been put on hold until they have taken steps to end restrictions on Israeli athletes competing at events in the country.

It is hoped the 2022 Games could pave the way for an eventual Summer Olympics in Africa.

A host is then due to be chosen at the IOC Session in Buenos Aires in October.

This will take place before this year's Summer Youth Olympic Games in Argentina's capital, scheduled for between October 6 and 18.

IOC vice-president Uğur Erdener is chair of the Coordination Commission for the Games.