The upcoming Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF), set to take place in Akwa Ibom from April 1-8, is expected to provide a significant economic boost to the host state, particularly in the hospitality sector.
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Organisers have projected the need for 3,000 bed spaces for athletes and coaches, alongside over 2,000 hotel accommodations for administrators, organisers, and VIP guests. This estimate does not include the expected influx of local and international media, scouts, sports enthusiasts, and tourists.
Head of Special Duties, Onome Obruthe, confirmed to NDSF Media Channel that while data collation is ongoing, the number of athletes alone is expected to be around 3,000 from the nine Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) states.
Obruthe highlighted the festival’s international dimension, noting that regulatory officials from global sports bodies will oversee events like athletics, wrestling, and weightlifting.
“We are working on accommodation for athletes, coaches, technical officials, administrators, organisers, and guests. This is approaching the size of a National Sports Festival, and we aim to set a benchmark for sports development in line with the Federal Government’s vision of a sports economy,” he stated.
The maiden edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival will feature athletes from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers. The NDDC, as the festival’s major sponsor, aims to discover and nurture sports talents from the region, offering them a platform to showcase their abilities and drive sports development.
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