Sports
3rd JAMB Football Tourney Gets October Date
Preparations have reached an advanced stage for the third edition of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Tertiary Institutions’ Football Championship slated for Oct. 13 to Oct. 20 in Ilorin.
The tournament is being sponsored by JAMB with the sum of N25 million and will involve 16 teams, comprising five universities, five polytechnics and five colleges of Education.
They will be joined by a team from the Innovative Entrepreneur Initiative (I.E.I) being institutions which JAMB conducts examinations for.
While speaking on the competition at the weekend in Ilorin, the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Akanbi Shuaib said the event’s top prize is a sum of N1 million.
“The first runners-up will get N750,000, while the second runners-up will go home with N500,000.”
Shuaib assured all the participating institutions, officials and players that all their entitlements, including feeding, accommodation and other logistics, would be accorded top priority and taken care of.
The permanent secretary warned that only bona fide students of the participating institutions would be allowed to feature in the tournament as there would be no room for mercenaries.
He disclosed that Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara would be the Special Guest of Honour on Oct. 19 at the University of Ilorin during the competition’s final match.
“The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, will also grace the final match,” Shuaib said.
“The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede and the Vice-Chancellor of the host university, Prof. Abdulkareem Age, will also be at the final.”
The permanent secretary then appealed to the competition’s match officials to ensure free and fair officiating and respect all the rules and regulations of the game of football.
Shuaib also commended JAMB for sponsoring the tournament since 2017, adding that it would serve as an avenue to discover football talents from the grassroots for future national and international competitions.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.