Enugu 2026: LOC Sets Up 20 Committees to Drive National Sports Festival
Oru Leonard
The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 23rd National Sports Festival, tagged Enugu 2026 Coal City Games, has constituted a number of sub-committees to coordinate preparations for the successful hosting of the national sporting event.
The committees cover critical areas of the Games, including accommodation, catering, media and communication, protocol, ceremonies, security, transportation, venues and facilities, finance, marketing and sponsorship, volunteers, mobilisation, tourism, medical services, technical operations and athletes’ welfare.
The LOC Chairman, Hon. Lloyd Ike Ekweremadu Jr., and Secretary-General, Bamiduro Olumide, said the move was aimed at establishing an effective delivery structure and ensuring that Enugu 2026 becomes one of the best-organised editions of the National Sports Festival.
They said members of the various committees were selected based on their expertise, experience and knowledge relevant to the successful organisation of the Games.
The inauguration of the chairpersons, secretaries and members of the committees is expected to take place immediately, with each committee receiving specific terms of reference.
Among the committees constituted is the Games Village Management Committee, chaired by Ekweremadu, with Olumide as Secretary. The Accommodation Committee will be chaired by Obiora Obasi, with Obinna Chukwu as Secretary, while the Catering Committee will also be chaired by Ekweremadu, with Nancy Nwoha as Secretary.
The Media and Communication Committee will be chaired by the Enugu State Commissioner for Information, with the Governor’s SSA on Media, Uche Anichukwu, as Secretary.
The Protocol Committee will be chaired by the Chief of Protocol, Government House, while the SSA Protocol to the Governor will serve as Secretary. The Ceremonial Committee will be headed by Akuchukwu Aghazu, with the Director of Organising, Ministry of Youth and Sports, as Secretary.
For security, the Commissioner of Police will chair the Security Committee, with Osondu Ifeanyi, CSO Government House, as Secretary. The Transport Committee will be chaired by the Commissioner for Transport, with Tony Okoye, O.C. Transport, Government House, as Secretary.
The Venue and Facilities Committee will be chaired by the Commissioner for Works, with Uchenna Nwatu, SPA PDI, as Secretary.
The Finance Committee will be headed by Hon. Nathaniel Urama, with Olumide as Secretary, while the Marketing and Sponsorship Committee will be chaired by Davidson Owumi, with the HOD PRS, Ministry of Youth and Sports, as Secretary.
The Volunteers Committee will be chaired by former Nigerian athletics star Mary Onyali, MFR, with Nkiru Udumaga as Secretary. The Mobilisation Committee will be headed by the ALGON Chairman, with Hon. Chinedu Okwu, SSA on Social Orientation and Mobilisation, as Secretary.
The Tourism and Festival Experience Committee will be chaired by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, with the Chairman of the Tourism Board as Secretary.
The Medical Committee will be chaired by Prof. George Ugwu, Commissioner for Health, with Mrs. Nneka Eze as Secretary, while the Technical Committee will be chaired by Jonathan Nnaji, with Victor Okorie as Secretary.
Other committees include the Games Secretariat, chaired by Olumide; the Team Enugu Preparation and Participation Committee, chaired by Boniface Onovo; the Athletes Welfare Team, chaired by Henry Okorie; and the Athletes Recruitment Committee, chaired by Victor Okorie.
The LOC said the committees would work closely with its leadership and relevant government institutions to ensure that preparations and delivery of the Games remain on schedule.
According to the approved programme, the Games Village will open from November 25 to 26, 2026, while the Opening Ceremony is scheduled for November 27.
The Closing Ceremony will take place on December 11, 2026, with the Games Village scheduled to close on December 12.
With the committees now constituted, preparations are expected to intensify across the various operational areas as Enugu gets set to host athletes and officials from across Nigeria.
The Enugu 2026 Coal City Games is expected to provide a platform for sporting excellence, talent development, national unity and the celebration of Nigeria’s diverse sporting heritage.
