No fewer than 3,000 athletes and officials from nine oil-producing states will converge on Benin City for the second edition of the Niger Delta Games, scheduled to hold from February 20 to 27, 2026.
The multi-sport event, to be hosted by Edo State and sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), will feature 17 sports, including football, alongside a cultural night to celebrate the region’s heritage.
Chairman of Dunamis Icons Limited, organisers of the Niger Delta Games, Hon. Itiako Ikpokpo, disclosed this on Wednesday during an interactive session with members of the Edo State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in Benin City.
Ikpokpo explained that only athletes aged 20 years and below, who are indigenes of the participating states, would be eligible to compete, stressing that the competition is designed to promote grassroots sports development in the Niger Delta.
He noted that genuine talent discovery must begin at the local government level, urging states to intensify talent hunt programmes within communities and schools to unearth young prospects capable of representing the country in the future.
Lamenting what he described as poor commitment to sports development by state governments, Ikpokpo said budgetary allocations to sports across the federation remain grossly inadequate to drive meaningful growth.
“We must return to school sports if we are serious about discovering young talents for the country,” he said, adding that sports has failed to become a major revenue earner due to poor administration and management.
He further decried the prevalence of cheating in sports across the country, describing it as shameful and calling for collective action to address the trend.
Responding to questions from journalists, Ikpokpo also urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to consider Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City as a viable venue for international matches, noting that the facility is comparable to the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
