National Youth Games: Lagos, Delta clash over 2026 hosting right
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The Delta Sports Commission further suggested that Lagos could instead host the proposed National Intermediate Games, a new event being planned to help athletes discovered at the NYG prepare for elite competitions
Femi Fabunmi
A fresh dispute is brewing between Delta State and Lagos State over who will host the 2026 National Youth Games (NYG), PM News has gathered.
The confusion started after the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Olalekan Fatodu, announced in Asaba that Lagos had already been chosen as the host for the 10th edition of the Games. Fatodu told reporters that Lagos was ready to deliver the “greatest showpiece” in the history of the competition, citing the state’s strengths in sports, commerce, tourism, and entertainment.
But his statement was quickly countered by the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, who insisted that no decision has been made yet. According to him, the next host of the Games will only be revealed at the closing ceremony of the ongoing ninth edition in Asaba on September 7.
Delta State, meanwhile, is not taking Fatodu’s declaration lightly. The Acting Director General of the Delta State Sports Commission, Muobo Igalase, reminded Nigerians that the state signed a binding agreement with the Federal Government in 2023 to host four consecutive editions of the Games, including the 2026 edition.
She argued that the change from the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to the NSC does not cancel the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed two years ago.
“Delta has kept its part of the deal. Beyond Asaba, where the Games are ongoing, the state is upgrading the Warri City Stadium into a world-class arena that will be ready before the next edition,” Igalase said. She added that stripping Delta of the hosting rights would amount to “a breach of trust.”
The Delta Sports Commission further suggested that Lagos could instead host the proposed National Intermediate Games, a new event being planned to help athletes discovered at the NYG prepare for elite competitions.
For now, the final decision lies with the NSC, which is expected to make an official announcement in a few days.
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