National Sports Festival officially rescheduled

The highly anticipated 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged “Gateway Games, Ogun 2024,” has been rescheduled once again.

Initially slated for January 12–28, 2025, the festival will now take place from May 16–30, 2025.

The Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, announced the change during the 1st Joint Technical Meeting held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday night.

According to Olopade, the shift was necessary to allow the newly established NSC to settle and develop a sustainable sports economy, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for economic sustainability in sports.

The meeting included key stakeholders, such as 37 directors of sports, technical directors, secretaries of sports federations, and members of both the Main Organizing Committee (MOC) and Local Organizing Committee (LOC). Olopade, alongside Ogun State’s Commissioner for Sports Development, Wasiu Isiaka, and other officials, emphasized that the postponement was strategically planned for the betterment of the festival.

Olopade noted that while the Ogun State government and LOC were prepared to host the event in January, the MOC, after consulting with technical directors, decided to push the date to ensure a proper realignment of the NSC and the festival’s goals.

In an additional move to enhance participation, the festival will invite outstanding junior athletes from the recently concluded National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, to compete, forming part of the 38 participating teams next year.

“In the wisdom of the technical people and the MOC, we just felt there were so many elements that needed to come together for us to give to Nigerians, in the spirit of the new definition of sports organization, and creating an ecosystem of economic sustainability by Mr. President.

“And there was the need to push it forward, to capture all of those elements together. Of course, and also to get the commission to settle down properly.

“All of these were done in agreement and with the approval of Mallam Shehu Dikko, the Chairman of the Sports Commission. So we’re excited that we have a new date.

“We’re excited that it gives us five months to properly put everything together and show the whole country what capacity is all about. It was strategically done to settle a new commission to recognize the idea of creating a sports economy that is sustainable.”

Commissioner

In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Sports Development in Ogun State, Wasiu Isiaka expressed satisfaction with the decision of the Technical Committee.

Isiaka maintained that the shift in date would allow the state government to further expand the ecosystem of organizing the best National Sports Festival that will be a reference point in the near future.

Meanwhile, the communique issued at the end of the meeting jointly signed by the Chairman, Main Organizing Committee who doubles at the NSC DG, Olopade, and Commissioner for Sports Development in Ogun State, Isiaka urged the Ogun State government to use the report of the inspection of the venues and facilities as checklist to guide the state.

The communique, therefore, called on all delegates to appoint Chief Medical Officer for easy interface before and during the Games.

It, however, announced February 23 – 28, 2025 as the commencement of zonal eliminations for team sports.