The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to host the inaugural Niger Delta Sports Festival as part of its agenda to promote sports and human capital development in the region.
The multi-sport event will take place at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, from April 1 to 9, 2025, and will kick off activities marking the NDDC’s 25th anniversary.
The festival aligns with Nigeria’s renewed vision for sports development and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate to foster talent development and innovation in the sector. It aims to bring together thousands of young athletes from the nine Niger Delta states, providing them with a platform to showcase their talents and compete in over ten Olympic-style sports.
In a statement released on February 2, 2025, the NDDC emphasized the transformative power of sports in society. "We understand the power of sports in transforming society, and as a key stakeholder in the Nigeria project, we want to contribute our quota to sports development in the country," the statement read. "We have also recognized and understood Mr. President's zeal and passion for the sector's revival. As an intervention agency, we must partner with the region's state governments to develop sports."
The NDDC outlined several objectives for the festival, including supporting states in discovering and grooming sports talents, nurturing athletes to attain professional careers, and promoting self-reliance and economic independence. The event also aims to strengthen grassroots sports participation, reinvigorate the region’s competitiveness in Nigerian sports, and foster unity, friendship, and security across the Niger Delta.
The commission has partnered with Project Consultant Dunamis Icon Limited to ensure the successful execution of the festival. "We have adequately prepared for this sporting event, and we are pleased to announce to the public that we are about to birth the Niger Delta Sports Festival," the statement added.
In the coming weeks, the NDDC will roll out a series of activities to herald the festival, which is intended to celebrate the sporting prowess of the Niger Delta. The region has long been a hub for Nigerian sports, producing numerous elite athletes, and the NDDC aims to build on this legacy through the festival.
Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Director of Corporate Affairs, signed the statement, expressing optimism about the event’s impact. "This festival is a celebration of the sporting prowess of the Niger Delta, which has produced and will, by our partnership with our people, continue to be the pathfinder and hub of Nigerian sports," she said.
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