Oritsegbubemi Omatseyin
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is organising the maiden Niger Delta Sports Festival as part of its agenda for both sports and human capital development in the Niger Delta region.
The multi-sports festival, which will take place at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, will kick off the activities marking the 25th anniversary of the NDDC.
The event will be held between April 1 and 9, 2025, aligning with Nigeria’s new vision for sports development and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate to foster talent development and innovation in sports.
According to a statement by NDDC, signed by the Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, NDDC will bring together thousands of young athletes from the nine states of the Niger Delta region and allow them to showcase their talents through the sports festival.
The statement revealed that NDDC is organising Olympic-style games featuring over ten sports for the nine NDDC mandate states.
“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. We have also recognised 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 statement read.
According to the statement, in initiating the Niger Delta Sports Festival, NDDC ‘S objective is to support the states in the discovery of sports talents, grooming them into national and international elite athletes, nurturing them to attain gainful professional careers in sports, for self-reliance and economic independence.
The sports festival also aims to strengthen penetration and access to sports at the grassroots, reinvigorate and sustain the region’s competitiveness, supremacy, and influence in Nigerian sports, and use sports to enhance more significant interaction, unity, friendship, and security across the region.
The statement added: “We have adequately prepared for this sporting event with our Project Consultant, Dunamis Icon Limited, and we are pleased to announce to the public that we are about to birth the Niger Delta Sports Festival.
“In the coming weeks, there shall be a flurry of activities to herald the sports festival, intended as 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.”
Through the sports festival, the NDDC has also reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment through sports, emphasising its role in crime reduction and career development.
This was highlighted during a presentation by the Niger Delta Sports Festival Committee at the NDDC Headquarters, where plans for the maiden edition of the festival were unveiled.
The NDDC Executive Director of Finance and Administration, also the chairman of the Festival Planning Committee, Alabo Boma Iyaye, welcomed sports commissioners and representatives from the nine Niger Delta states, stressing the festival’s significance in fostering unity and providing career pathways for young athletes.
He said: “We all know the importance of sports in our society. It will curb crime and provide opportunities for our youths to build their careers. This initiative will bring the region together and give talented athletes from the grassroots the platform they deserve,” Iyaye said.
Iyaye assured that the sports festival, will serve as a major platform to celebrate the region’s talents in sports, music, comedy, and entertainment.
According to the Executive Director, the festival is designed not just as a competition but as a long-term investment in the future of sports in the Niger Delta. One of its key objectives is establishing an annual sporting event that will ensure continuous talent development.
By identifying and nurturing young athletes, the NDDC aims to create opportunities for them to compete at national and international levels, positioning the region in the limelight of Nigerian sports.
The Project Consultant, Mr. Itiako Ikpokpo, noted that the planning process had taken over a year and a half, and the festival’s execution phase was now underway.
The consultant’s director of the organisation, Mr. Fred Edoreh, also spoke, emphasising the NDDC’s determination to reach the grassroots by working with state sports commissions and setting up liaison committees.
He noted: “The NDDC is bridging the gap in sports development by ensuring that talent discovery extends beyond city centres to the local communities. We will also provide mentoring, career education, and scouting opportunities for young athletes.”
