In a bid to enhance the operational effectiveness and overall performance of Nigerian athletes, the National Council on Sports has approved a fixed timeline for the annual National Sports Festival (NSF) and affirmed new rules to streamline the number of sports featured at the event.
The approvals followed the presentation of two key memoranda by the National Sports Commission (NSC) during an Extraordinary National Council of Sports meeting held on Wednesday in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
According to a communiqué signed by NSC Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, the Council approved that the NSF be held between November and December of each festival year. This move aims to align Nigeria’s sports calendar with international best practices, enabling better planning, organization, athlete participation, sponsorship, and overall event efficiency.
The Council also reaffirmed Rule 11 (i-iii) of the 2024 National Sports Festival General Rules and Regulations, originally agreed upon at an earlier meeting in Benin City on March 14, 2019. The rules specify:
A maximum of 32 sports shall feature at the Festival, with 27 compulsory and 5 optional;
Compulsory sports are selected based on popularity across all 36 states and the FCT, past state entries, and Nigeria’s international performance in the sports;
Host states may select up to five sports from a pool of 25 optional events to complete the final list.
These decisions are expected to promote consistency in the number of events and improve the management and structure of future Games.
The Council commended the Federal Government for its continued investment in sports development and expressed appreciation to the Ogun State Government for its commitment to hosting the 22nd National Sports Festival.
The upcoming edition of the Festival, themed Gateway Games, will take place in Abeokuta, Ogun State, from May 18–30, 2025.
