Edo State has officially signaled its readiness to host the 2026 Niger Delta Sports Festival, following Governor Monday Okpebholo’s endorsement of the Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC) proposal during a courtesy visit by the Commission’s management to Government House, Benin City.
The Governor, brimming with confidence, declared Edo fully prepared to stage a memorable and competitive festival, scheduled for February 2026.
“You have chosen the right state,” Okpebholo said. “We are not just the Heartbeat of the Nation for nothing. We have the strength, the athletes, and the capacity to win every sporting activity.”
Beyond sports, the Governor used the meeting to advocate for a partnership with the NDDC on critical infrastructure—most notably the rehabilitation of the Agbor–Uromi Road, which he described as “not motorable,” stressing its importance for economic connectivity in the region.
NDDC Managing Director, Chief Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, commended Okpebholo’s one year in office and praised Edo’s strides in sports and infrastructure. He said the Commission’s visit was to formally secure Edo as host of the festival, themed “Beyond Oil: Harnessing Talents.”
Ogbuku highlighted the festival’s role in regional unity, noting that the maiden edition earlier this year featured over 3,000 athletes from the nine Niger Delta states.
“NDDC is not a government; it is an interventionist agency,” Ogbuku emphasized. “To succeed, we must work hand-in-hand with state governments. One of the challenges we faced in the past was opposition from states, but we are bridging that gap.”
He also reeled out ongoing and completed projects in Edo, including erosion control works, ecological interventions, and internal road projects at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, and Edo State Polytechnic, Usen—areas where both the state and the Commission share responsibility.
Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Desmond Enabulele, applauded the Governor’s commitment, noting that his administration continues to reposition sports as a viable engine for talent development and youth empowerment.
With athletes expected from Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, and other Niger Delta states, the 2026 edition positions Edo as a central powerhouse for regional sporting excellence.
Also present at the meeting were the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa; Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilo, Esq.; Chief of Staff, Alhaji Gani Audu; Chairman, House Committee on Sports, Hon. Okogbe Donald; among other top officials.
