Olopade Reaffirms Enugu 2026 Sports Festival Will Hold as Scheduled, Says Venues Near Completion
Oru Leonard
The Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has reaffirmed that the 23rd National Sports Festival, tagged Enugu 2026, will commence as scheduled on November 28, dismissing speculations about a possible postponement.
Olopade gave the assurance during an inspection of sporting facilities in Enugu, where he expressed satisfaction with the pace of work at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and other venues designated for the national sporting competition.
He said preparations had reached an advanced stage, disclosing that the swimming pool was expected to be completed by November 18, while arrangements for funding, sporting equipment and athletes’ transportation had been concluded.
According to him, the tartan track would also be laid in the coming days, while buses required for transporting athletes during the festival were ready.
The NSC boss described suggestions that the festival might be postponed as unnecessary, stressing that both the commission and the Enugu State Government had already made their position on the event clear.
“When Lagos asked for postponement, we came out confidently to tell the public. Heaven did not fall,” he said.
He added that suggesting a postponement after official announcements by the state government and the NSC amounted to questioning the credibility of the organisers.
Olopade further disclosed that Enugu 2026 was projected to attract between ₦12 billion and ₦15 billion in sponsorship, potentially making it the most commercially supported National Sports Festival in Nigeria’s history.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to officially declare the festival open on November 28, with about 12,000 athletes and officials scheduled to arrive in Enugu from November 26.
He commended Governor Peter Mbah for his commitment to hosting the competition, describing Enugu as a secure and welcoming environment for participating athletes, officials and other stakeholders.
The 23rd edition of the National Sports Festival will feature athletes representing Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory across several sporting disciplines.
Credit: Maxwell Kumoye
