The second edition of the Niger Delta Games, sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) holding in Edo State will attract no fewer than 3,000 athletes and officials.
Organizers of the sports event, Dunamis Icons Ltd disclosed this on Wednesday in an interaction with members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Edo State chapter.
It would be recalled that the maiden edition of the games held last year in Uyo,Akwa Ibom State featured athletes drawn from the nine states under the umbrella of NDDC.
Chairman of Dunamis Icons, Itiako Ikpokpo who spoke to the sports writers in Benin disclosed that the 2026 edition will hold from February 20 to 27, 2026.
He said that the multi-sport event will feature 17 sports, including football, alongside a cultural night to celebrate the region’s heritage.
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.
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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.
