…As Bayelsa, Kaduna Win Rights To 2028, 2030 Festivals
The National Sports Commission (NSC) has announced the launch of a sports-infrastructure support program aimed at strengthening facilities in states selected to host upcoming editions of the National Sports Festival (NSF).
This landmark initiative is designed to guarantee that host states are supported in their preparations to build and upgrade their sporting infrastructure, thereby elevating the overall quality, safety, and global competitiveness of the Festival.
As part of this newly approved program, Enugu State, host of the next National Sports Festival, will become the first beneficiary of the NSC’s intervention. The Commission will work closely with the Enugu State Government to build a modern swimming complex, in line with international standards.
The hosts state of the 2028 and 2030 editions of the Festival will also benefit from this program.
Bayelsa, Kaduna States to host National Sports Festivals*
In what will go down as another milestone for the Country’s Sports development, the National Sports commission, NSC, has secured host states for the 2028 and 2030 National Sports Festivals.
The 2028 Games will be held in the beautiful South South state of Bayelsa, located in the core of the Niger Delta while the 2030 Games will be hosted in the crocodile state of Kaduna.
Hosting the games in 2028, will mark the first time the National Sports Festival will be staged in Bayelsa state while staging the games in Kaduna in 2030 will mark the third time the state will be hosting the festival after the 1977 and the 2009 games.
Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, said the Government of both states have shown the required commitment and readiness to stage the Country’s biggest domestic sporting competition.
The DG stated that this is a massive departure from what it used to be in the past where the Sports festival struggled for feasibility and recognition that it truly deserves.
Olopade said ” We are glad that we have made the Sports festival to be attractive again, where states are now showing serious interest to host. This is as a result of how President Bola Tinubu, has prioritised the Sports sector under his administration”.
He added ” Part of our RHINSE( Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigerian Sports economy) agenda is to revamp and rebrand the National Sports festival in terms of structure, organisation and standardisation as it is obtained with major international sporting competitions like the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics games”.
The DG further stated ” The 2025 National Sports Festival in Ogun State was adjudged the best ever games in the history of the festival but we are raising the bar further with the 2026 Games in Enugu and now the 2028 and 2030 games in Bayelsa and Kaduna states respectively”.