Amadin Desmond Enabulele Chairman Edo State Sports Commission
• We are fully prepared to hit the ground running – Enabulele
From our Bureau Chief, Benin
Ahead of the 2026 Niger-Delta Games scheduled to hold in Benin on 20 to 27 February, Edo State has begun trials to strongly compete for medals.
Kick-starting the trials on Wednesday, 3 February at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, the Chairman, State Sports Commission, Amadin Desmond Enabulele asserts Edo is fully ready to deliver a world-class sporting event.
To be in a pole position to compete, the athletes’ trials would run through Wednesday to Friday, February 6, 2026, it was said.
Media officer to the Sports Commission Chairman, Wilson Edoko made the disclosure in a statement circulated amongst journalists in Benin.
Edoko is also Chairman, the Festival’s Liaison Committee, who announced that Edo has entered full preparatory mode with the commencement of the trials.
Enabulele was quoted to have expressed confidence in Edo State’s capacity to host a seamless, athlete-centred festival citing the State’s modern sporting infrastructure and advanced facilities as key strengths.
Edo is not only prepared to host the Games, but is determined to raise the bar beyond the standards recorded at the maiden edition, he said.
All 17 sports associations participating in the festival are actively involved in the ongoing trials, the State Sports Commission Chairman informed.
“We are fully prepared to hit the ground running. Edo State is ready to offer unmatched hospitality and deliver a significantly upgraded festival that will surpass the standards set at the first edition.”
Saying Edo’s hosting ambition goes beyond ceremonial participation, he further assured that the established rules and regulations of the Games would not be compromised by the organisers; they would be strictly adhered to, he stressed.
“Edo isn’t hosting just for formality. We are hosting to win,” Enabulele asserts.
Games broader social impact
The Chairman described athletics as a powerful tool for youth engagement and a sustainable response to societal challenges such as banditry, terrorism, armed robbery, kidnapping, and other violent crimes affecting the nation.
He stressed that the Games are not just about medals, but about giving young talents a renewed platform to shine and project Nigeria positively on both national and global stages.
As the convergence of youths from across the Niger Delta region during the festival would provide a vital platform to identify, nurture, and groom future world-class athletes capable of restoring Nigeria’s sporting glory, he pointed out.
Under his leadership, Edo is committed to delivering a festival that will excite fans, inspire athletes, and strengthen grassroots sports development across the Niger Delta region, he stated.
The festival is expected to feature over 3,000 athletes, about 500 coaches and technical officials, and nearly 200 journalists, with competitions across 17 sporting events, making it the second-largest multi-sport gathering in Nigeria after the National Sports Festival.
