Eko 2026 Will Showcase Nigeria’s Sporting Potential — Olopade

The Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has expressed confidence in Lagos State’s readiness to host the inaugural National Intermediate Games, EKO 2026, describing the competition as a major platform for discovering and showcasing Nigeria’s sporting talent.

Olopade spoke during a joint technical meeting ahead of the Games, where he commended Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his administration for their commitment to sports development and youth empowerment.

He said the leadership demonstrated by the Lagos State Government had been instrumental to the successful preparations for the Games.

“When you look at the build-up to the first National Intermediate Games, you cannot but marvel at the leadership that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has given to sports in this country,” Olopade said.

The NSC boss cited the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon as an example of the governor’s support for major sporting events, noting that the race had been retained and upgraded under his administration.

Olopade stressed the importance of identifying young talents early, particularly through competitions involving secondary school athletes.

He recalled witnessing impressive performances from young athletes at competitions in Asaba and Abeokuta, insisting that initiatives such as the Intermediate Games would provide a structured pathway for their development.

According to him, Lagos had demonstrated through its preparations that it possesses the facilities, systems and organisational capacity required to host a successful national sporting event.

“You have not only started putting in place systems and facilities, but you have also brought out the best of your leadership to drive these Games,” he said.

Olopade urged the technical committee and other stakeholders to give the Games the attention they deserve and establish EKO 2026 as a major fixture on Nigeria’s sporting calendar beyond its inaugural edition.

He also called on stakeholders to focus their energy on developing the Intermediate Games while efforts continue to address challenges confronting Nigerian football.

EKO 2026 is scheduled to take place from 1 to 15 October and is expected to attract more than 14,000 young athletes from across the country.

The Games are designed to provide a platform for talent identification, development and exposure, with the long-term objective of strengthening Nigeria’s sporting pipeline.