Sports
Registration For NDSF State Trials Opens
Local government trials leading to each state’s team selection for the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF) will commence on February 20 and end on March 3, 2025.
Co-Chairman of the Technical Committee for the festival, Eneifiok Udo-Obong, announced the date while also providing registration details and other programs of events for the maiden edition of the festival.
“We have already determined that the Festival finals will hold in Akwa Ibom State from April 1-8.
“Registration forms are being distributed to the States Liaison Committees that would supervise the Local Government and Federal Constituency trials. The forms can be obtained from LG, Federal Constituency, and Senatorial District headquarters of each member state,” disclosed Udo-Obong, an Olympics champion in 4x400m relay.
He further announced that the Organising Committee has fixed March 10 to 12 for state trials to select the contingents that will be registered from March 15 to 20.
Other pre-festival activities include a closed camping of registered states’ athletes and coaches from March 25 to 31.
“We are using this festival to prepare Niger Delta States for the National Sports Festival as we hope to use the NDSF as a springboard for the member states to select their very best and prepare them adequately for the national competition,” Udo-Obong explained.
About 2,886 athletes are expected to compete for honours in 17 sports at the festival.
The maiden NDSF is open to the nine states that made up the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The states are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Delta. Others are Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers.
The NDDC is the major sponsor of the festival, which seeks to spot and nurture sportsmen and women from the region to provide them platforms to express their innate talent through sports.
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.