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17th National Sports Festival: The Story of Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium Complex
When Rivers State won the rights to host the 17th edition of the National Sports Festival, NSF in 2009, it nursed the dream to stage the biennial fiesta in a one stadium complex, where all the events would hold within the same environment.
According to authorities then, it would serve to give the fiesta the compactness of the Olympics, enhance the integration of the Nigerian youths and take the spirit of the game and athletes to a very good level.
Also, the dream of a one venue sports festival with ultra modem world class facilities tallied with the vision of Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, for a new Port Harcourt City replete with first class infrastructure.
Furthermore, the need for a befitting sports facility that will provide the opportunity for sporting activities and recreation for the new Port Harcourt City, known as the Greater Port Harcourt City combined to influence the choice of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium complex between the Igwurita, Aluu, Omagwa axis of the Greater Port Harcourt City.
A virgin land in Igwuruta was the choice for the Garden City Sports Complex. The facility is positioned on a 42-hectre piece of land within Rivers State’s new mega city, Greater Port Harcourt.
The sports arena comprises a 25 thousand seating capacity Stadium which is going to be the second largest fully covered main bowl in Nigeria when completed. Being constructed by Deux Nig Ltd, the stadium was proposed to be used for the opening ceremony but will not be used because project is still under construction.
The five thousand seating capacity natural grass football arena with eight synthetic track lanes, that will boost most of the field events such as the track and field sports was also built by Deux .
Deux handled the construction of the entire playing surfaces project such as the lawn tennis (2), volley ball (2), basket ball (2), hand ball (2), hockey (2), squash (4) indoor sports hall and a 50, 25, and 10 metre shooting range all built according to international regulations and standard has an average seating capacity of 800 on each court.
The arena has four Olympic size pools, two 50 by 25 metres swimming pools and two 15 by 25 metrres diving pools built according to international Olympic standard. The pools are built by Veltrop Nig Ltd and Vast Int.
Explaining the working of the pools, VAST International Nig. Manager, Mr Obiora Okoya, said there are three components of the pool; the Swimming Pool, the Balance Standard and the Technical Room.
The 10 lane swimming pool described as one of the best in Africa, contains the water were athletes can compete. The pool is surrounded by gutters with pipe connections underground into the Balance Standard.
A view of the underground Balance Stand is in the technical room, the Balance Stand, absorbs water from the pool to avoid overflow of pool water irrespective of the number of people in the pool at the same time. Through the underground pipes in the gutters surrounding the pool, pool water is transferred into the balance standard to maintain the stability of the pool water.
The Technical Room is the heart of the pool. Automatically aided by the pipes and tanks, the plant has the capability to automatically transfer water either from overflow or normal filtration process in Balance Tank to the Fibre Glass Filtration Tanks in the technical room.
Inside the filtration tanks, there are three compartments of filters. The smallest filter is at the top with a medium one and larger one at the bottom. Once water from balance tank gets into the filtration tank, the sand inside the tank holds back the dirt at each compartment before moving the water to another compartment of tanks and valves back to the pool clean and sparkling.
The process repeats itself over once electricity is supplied. The facility also has the capacity to ensure chemical treatment by automatically giving right dosage of chlorine, ph balance + and ph-.
The swimming pool site gallery seating about 1200 people also has compartments for team rooms, referee changing rooms and clinic.
The Garden City Sports Complex also boost of a mini standard clinic to provide immediate medical services for athletes and officials. Administration block, Stadium Manager Quarters, security maintenance quarters and four public toilets around the centre comprised of eight toilets.
The facility is built by COSPEC who only came on board in March 2011 because of the inability of previous contractor to deliver the project before the start of the festival.
The road construction around the centre is being handled by CICO Deux Nig Ltd handling major projects on the site is directed by Dr Walter Olatunde a Medical Doctor turned Engineer who brings in the softness of medical practice to the turf surface of engineering under the burning sun as most of the other contractors testified of Deux understanding and good relationship.
Deux have carried out major works in different part of the Nation before taking on the Garden City Sports Complex project.
Despite their experiences and proof of professional competence, the terrain proved challenging for Deux like all other contractors also complained of the terrain of consistent rain. According to Dr Walter, the consistent rain, flood and marshy ground slowed the project.
Deux has the highest number of employees including permanent and casual staff at a range of about three thousand persons. Expressing excitement to be a part of the Garden City Games 2011 and the light and opportunity the project has brought to the Igwuruta community and its surrounding.
VAST Intrn. Nig and VEL TROP Nig Ltd built the pools, each company on one swimming pool and diving pool on the same spec. VAST International Nig CENT ARC “Design Associate is the Consulting firm to Rivers State Government. The site Engineer is Engr. Isa Mohammed. The full work began in 2009 because of previous movement from two other sites allocated to the project.
The rainy terrain was emphasized as a major constraint to work progress. However, in about one year of work progress, the consultant affirmed the State Government, Ministry of Sports and the contractors, were up and doing to put in their best to deliver the project before the beginning of the National Sports Festival.
Engr. Isa said Rivers people especially people of Igwuruta and surrounding communities have acquired much skills through the project, stating that many workers who did not have a good knowledge of the their peculiar skills have not only improved on the job but have upgraded their skills to international standard working level because all the projects are of international standard while others have learnt project management and administration.
The Garden City Sports Complex completion empowered about five thousand permanent and casual workers.
Apparently, the choice of the name of the Complex was an effort to celebrate and recognize one of the illustrious sons of the state, Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka, MON, JP, a football administrator, an ex-international, who excelled in the national team, the Green Eagles in the 1970s and 80s.
By the name, it is expected that youths of the state and beyond, seeing Amiesikaka as a role model will be motivated to use the facility to develop and exploit their talent.
Having identified the site, it was handed over to the contractors, Deux Project, for the realization of the impressive facilities that are billed to host most of the 17th NSF events.
According to the Project Director of Deux Projects, Dr. Walter Olatunde, the site which was identified and chosen because it aligned with the master plan of the Greater Port Harcourt City was handed over to the company in April, 2010.
However, the site was not ready for work until June same year when Deux Project mobilised to site.
It has been a project that tasked the technical ability and ingenuity of the contractors as they tried to over come the challenges posed by the terrain.
“The terrain has been very very challenging”, said Dr Olatunde. “The condition of the soil was very difficult to deal with. It was a virgin land, fertile for planting and not solid or ideal for heavy construction work. Water and soil mixed to make the place muddy and difficult for us”, he explained of the major challenges they faced trying to deliver the stadium complex on time.
Also, the weather condition in the state, especially, the rains were a natural phenomenon that the contractors found difficult to deal with.
But special construction skills, suited to the weather and terrain of the area made it possible for them to make progress within the time.
“Though it has been very challenging; we have coped very well to make progress as you can see”. Said the Project Director.
“We employed special skills and machinery to cope with and over come the challenges, that is why you are seeing the impressive results barely one year after”.
“We are expecting that all the facilities will be ready this weekend before Rivers State hosts the nation. We have worked day and night to endure the completion of the projects.
“We have the capacity to ensure that the facilities for the games are ready. The facilities are world class and we want to showcase the site”.
“All the facilities are ready except the mainbowl which cannot be ready for the festival, the work to be done there is beyond the time line for the festival, said the Director.
Consequently, athletes are assured of the use of world class swimming pools, basketball courts, handball courts, tennis courts, volleyball courts, hockey pitch, tracks for athletics and terraces for spectators.
Indeed, the Adokiye Amiesimaka stadium complex is a statement in infrastructure development which will certainly bring fresh developmental angles to the state.
The Nigerian Air Force has approved a major shake-up of its senior leadership, involving fresh appointments and postings across its operational commands, strategic institutions and Defence Headquarters.
The exercise, approved by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, on November 7, 2026, is aimed at strengthening command effectiveness, enhancing institutional capacity and sustaining operational readiness.
In a statement yesterday, the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the appointments covered Service Headquarters, operational commands, training institutions and other strategic establishments.
The statement partly read, “The NAF has approved a major strategic realignment of its senior leadership through a fresh round of postings and appointments designed to strengthen command effectiveness, enhance institutional capacity and sustain operational readiness in support of national security objectives.
“The exercise, approved by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, on 7 November 2026, takes effect from November 2026.
“The appointments span Service Headquarters, operational commands, Defence Headquarters, training institutions and other strategic establishments, reflecting a deliberate effort to align leadership competencies and professional experience with the Service’s evolving operational and institutional priorities.”
At the NAF Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal AK Ademuwagun was appointed Chief of Transformation and Innovation, while AVM IV Ajiboye became Superintendent of Standards and Evaluation.
Other appointments include AVM PN Amadi as Chief of Air Intelligence; AVM NN Ananaba as Chief of Operations; AVM AH Bakari as Air Provost Marshal; AVM EE Efiom as Chief of Training; and AVM AJ Laoye as Chief of Aircraft Engineering.
The Air Force also appointed AVM NI Ilo as Air Officer Commanding, Tactical Air Command; AVM BR Mamman as AOC, Mobility Command; AVM OS Ogunsina as AOC, Logistics Command; AVM MN Onyebashi as AOC, Special Operations Command; and AVM FCS Nwakara as AOC, Ground Training Command.
At the institutional level, AVM PB Philips was appointed Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, while AVM MC Ekwueme became Commandant of the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre.
Similarly, AVM AO Akinbunwa was appointed Commandant of the Air Force War College, while AVM OC Ubadike became Commandant of the Air Force Institute of Technology.
Other appointments include AVM AI Sambo as Commandant of the Nigerian Air Force College of Logistics and Management, and AVM M Yusuf as Deputy Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
At the Defence Headquarters, AVM UK Abdullahi was appointed Director of Defence Operations, while AVM EOE Ebiowe was posted to the Office of the National Security Adviser as Deputy Coordinator, National Intelligence.
Also, AVM DDG Pwajok was appointed Director of Technical Services at the Defence Intelligence Agency, while AVM I Sani became Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence.
Other senior officers were posted to various directorates at the Defence Headquarters, including operations, military strategy, cyber operations, civil-military relations, search and rescue, special duties and joint warfare doctrine.
The appointments also affected the Defence Space Administration, where AVM AA Suleh was named Deputy Chief, while AVM OA Oyename and AVM SS Lazarus were appointed Directors of Earth Observation and Launch Vehicles and Space Operations, respectively.
Furthermore, AVM GI Jibia was appointed Deputy Force Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, while AVM JI Ukeh became Commander of the Nigerian Air Defence Corps.
The statement said the exercise was part of efforts to strengthen leadership renewal, institutional accountability and operational effectiveness across the service.
According to the CAS, the professional competence and wealth of experience of the newly appointed officers would advance his command philosophy and strengthen the Air Force’s capacity to deliver decisive airpower effects in support of joint operations and national security objectives.
“All affected officers are expected to assume their new appointments and complete the necessary handover and takeover formalities on or before November 13, 2026,” the statement concluded.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Federal Government to disclose details of the funding, implementation and administration of its N50,000 National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention.
The organisation asked the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, to provide information on beneficiary selection, payments, contracts with digital financial service providers and safeguards against political interference.
SERAP made the demand in a Freedom of Information request dated November 7, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
The request followed the ministry’s October 30 announcement of the NERSI programme, which is intended to provide N50,000 in financial assistance to vulnerable Nigerians.
SERAP said important questions remained unanswered about the programme’s total funding, geographical coverage, duration and the methodology for selecting beneficiaries from the National Social Register and verified national identity records.
It urged the minister to disclose budgetary allocations, funds released and expended, eligibility criteria, beneficiary verification processes and the geographical distribution of recipients.
The organisation also asked the ministry to clarify whether the N50,000 assistance was a one-off payment or a monthly intervention, noting that the ministry’s public statement described it as a monthly payment, while a subsequent frequently asked questions document did not clearly specify the frequency or duration.
In the request, SERAP said, “Nigerians have a right to know how public funds allocated to NERSI are being spent, who is receiving the assistance, how beneficiaries are selected and whether the programme is reaching those most in need.”
The organisation raised concerns about possible political interference in the programme, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Publicly funded social assistance must be allocated strictly on the basis of genuine need and objective eligibility criteria. It must not be used to reward political supporters, secure partisan loyalty, finance political mobilisation or influence the electoral choices of vulnerable Nigerians, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections,” it said.
SERAP further insisted that beneficiaries should not be required to attend political rallies, support candidates or display political materials as a condition for receiving the assistance.
“Beneficiaries must not be required or encouraged to attend political rallies, support political parties or candidates, display political materials or demonstrate political loyalty as a condition for receiving assistance. NERSI is a government programme funded with public resources, not a personal gift or political benefit from any office-holder or political party,” the organisation stated.
It also urged the minister to publicly invite the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to monitor the programme’s implementation and expenditure, investigate allegations of corruption and help ensure that funds reach intended beneficiaries.
SERAP expressed concern over reports that some Nigerians who received notifications of the N50,000 assistance had been unable to access or withdraw the funds, while others reportedly received messages indicating that they were ineligible.
“These reports raise questions about the accuracy of beneficiary verification, the reliability of payment arrangements and the effectiveness of mechanisms for resolving failed or disputed payments,” it said.
The organisation urged the ministry to investigate the complaints, publish its findings and ensure that all eligible beneficiaries received the assistance.
It also asked the government to disclose agreements with the digital financial service providers engaged to administer the payments, including ALAT, MoMo PSB, NairaGram, OPay and Moniepoint.
SERAP requested details of the providers’ roles, fees and performance, as well as information on how beneficiaries’ personal data would be protected.
“The use of the National Social Register and national identity records to identify beneficiaries must be governed by clear rules and appropriate data-protection safeguards. The Ministry should disclose how these records are being used and ensure that beneficiaries’ personal information is protected, while making anonymised and aggregated information available for public scrutiny,” it said.
The group further asked the ministry to publish anonymised information showing the number of beneficiaries and the amounts paid or scheduled for payment in each state and local government area.
It also sought records of any involvement of political actors in beneficiary selection, payments, access to beneficiary databases and the use of public resources to promote the programme.
To strengthen accountability, SERAP cited concerns raised by the Auditor-General of the Federation in the 2024 Annual Report regarding more than N78.8bn in public funds allegedly diverted or unaccounted for in the administration of social intervention and cash transfer programmes.
It also referred to concerns over N33.751bn in cash transfers made in 2023 for which relevant REMITA records and other supporting documents were reportedly not provided for audit.
“These findings underscore the importance of adequate financial controls, proper record-keeping, independent verification and effective oversight from the outset of the new intervention,” SERAP said.
The organisation said the information requested would enable Nigerians to assess whether the programme was reaching eligible beneficiaries and whether public funds were being properly accounted for.
It added, “Disclosure would also strengthen public confidence in social protection programmes and help ensure that resources intended for vulnerable Nigerians are used for their intended purposes.”
SERAP gave the minister seven days from receipt or publication of the letter to provide the requested information and take the proposed measures.
It warned that it would consider legal action to compel the ministry and other relevant authorities to fulfil their constitutional and statutory obligations if they failed to respond within the stipulated period.
The Presidency has dismissed as misleading claims that President Bola Tinubu borrowed ?120 trillion in just three years while also removing the fuel subsidy.
In a statement posted on X yesterday, Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, described the figures as the product of “Opposition’s propaganda machines.”
He said the claim that 16 past Nigerian leaders borrowed a combined ?46 trillion over 63 years, while Tinubu borrowed ?120 trillion in three years, does not reflect the full picture.
“Opposition’s propaganda machines claim that in 63 years, 16 past Nigerian leaders borrowed ?46 trillion combined, while President Tinubu borrowed ?120 trillion in just 3 years and still removed the fuel subsidy.
“But in reality, the ?46 trillion figure from late 2022 hid ?22.7 trillion in Central Bank ‘Ways and Means’ overdrafts that weren’t officially put on the books until May 2023,” Olusegun stated.
He added that earlier calculations converted foreign debt using an artificial exchange rate of ?448 to $1, when the street value was over ?700.
“When the exchange rate was unified in June 2023, the exact same dollar debt instantly looked ?13.4 trillion larger on paper overnight without a single new dollar being borrowed.”
In actual dollar terms, he said, Nigeria’s public debt rose from $113.4 billion in June 2023 to $120.9 billion by June 2026 — an increase of only $7.5 billion.
On the fuel subsidy, Olusegun noted that its removal had boosted monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee funds shared to states and local governments from ?656 billion in April 2023 to ?2.4 trillion by September 2026.
The claims being rebutted originated from a viral social media graphic that compared cumulative borrowing under previous administrations with the Tinubu government’s record and highlighted the subsidy removal.
Fact-checkers have described the graphic as misleading because the ?46 trillion figure represented outstanding debt at the end of 2022 rather than total borrowing by 16 leaders over 63 years, and because it did not adequately account for exchange-rate effects or the formal recognition of previously off-book obligations.
Nigeria’s total public debt stood at approximately ?87.38 trillion (about $113.4 billion) in June 2023, shortly after Tinubu took office.
By June 2026 it had risen to about ?166.79 trillion ($120.93 billion), according to Debt Management Office figures.
A large part of the naira increase stemmed from the 2023 naira float and the securitisation of Ways and Means advances inherited from the previous administration.
The latest rebuttal comes after Tinubu asked the Senate to approve the implementation of a $7.7bn external borrowing plan to part-finance the 2026 budget deficit.
The request, which translates to about N10.79tn at the budget exchange rate of N1,400 to the dollar, was conveyed in a letter read by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, during Wednesday’s plenary.
The request replaced an earlier approval for $20.52bn and €1.045bn borrowings that the President had asked the Senate and the House of Representatives for a week earlier.
However, opposition parties, including the Nigeria Democratic Congress, criticized the request, citing concerns about the country’s rising debt burden and its implications for future generations.
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