NIPOST National Sports Festival: LOC Sets Up Committees, Confirms Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Readiness

NIPOST National Sports Festival: LOC Sets Up Committees, Confirms Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Readiness

Ohis Asein

Benin City — Preparations for the 2026 NIPOST National Sports Festival have received a major boost following the inaugural meeting of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), held at the Media Centre of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.

The meeting, chaired by the LOC Chairperson, Mrs. Edna Edughele, brought together members of the committee and key officials of the Edo State Sports Commission as part of efforts to ensure a successful hosting of the festival.

Welcoming members, Edughele thanked them for accepting their appointments and urged everyone to demonstrate maximum commitment and professionalism towards the success of the games.

She disclosed that the festival had been rescheduled to hold from September 14 to 18, 2026, and stressed the need for all members to work together to deliver a memorable sporting event.

The LOC Chairperson also briefed members on the outcome of the committee's courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission. She said the Chairman had directed that the initial proposals submitted by coaches be reviewed, noting that the proposals were not prepared in line with the appropriate procedure.

According to her, the proposals would be reviewed once the National Organising Committee (NOC) forwards the official copies to the LOC.

Representing the Edo State Sports Commission, Mr. Kingsley Igie welcomed the NIPOST delegation and invited the Stadium Manager, Mr. Okwofu Nicholas, to confirm the availability of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium for the new festival dates.

Nicholas confirmed that the stadium would be available, while the Sports Commission assured the LOC that relevant sports associations would be informed to avoid scheduling activities that could conflict with the festival.

Also speaking, Barrister Anthony Ikuenobe called for details of the number of athletes expected from the participating states to enable the LOC to make adequate preparations.

He further advised NIPOST to formally communicate the new dates to the Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission and urged sports officials to deploy their experience towards ensuring the successful organisation of the festival.

The committee was informed that 11 sporting events are proposed for the festival. They are badminton, tennis, table tennis, chess, ludo, ayo, scrabble, volleyball, football, track and field, and egg race.

To strengthen preparations, the LOC approved the establishment of four major subcommittees — Technical; Venue and Facilities; Marketing and Sponsorship; and Hostel Accommodation.

The Technical Subcommittee, chaired by Barr. Anthony Ikuenobe, will provide technical guidance and coordinate sporting activities to ensure they are conducted professionally, safely and in accordance with relevant standards.

The Venue and Facilities Subcommittee, headed by Mr. Okwofu Nicholas, will oversee the readiness of competition venues and facilities, including the football pitch, athletics track, changing rooms, toilets, VIP lounge, media centre, badminton, table tennis, volleyball and tennis facilities, as well as spectators' stands.

The committee will also coordinate stadium personnel and ensure effective venue scheduling throughout the festival.

The Marketing and Sponsorship Subcommittee, chaired by Mr. Atuari Igbinadion, will focus on attracting sponsors, partners, government agencies, organisations and individuals capable of providing financial and material support for the festival.

Meanwhile, the Hostel Accommodation Subcommittee, chaired by Mrs. Omolove Branch, will be responsible for ensuring adequate accommodation for athletes and officials, including room allocation, facility monitoring and proper maintenance of the hostel environment.

With the LOC now fully structured and the availability of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium confirmed, attention is expected to shift towards finalising logistics, accommodation, technical arrangements, sponsorship and other critical preparations ahead of the September 14–18 NIPOST National Sports Festival in Benin City.