The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to launch the maiden Niger Delta Sports Festival, aimed at fostering sports development and youth engagement across the region.
The event will be held from April 1 to April 9, 2025, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, as part of the commission’s 25th-anniversary celebration.
According to the NDDC, the multi-sports festival will feature Olympic-style games across more than 10 sporting categories, bringing together thousands of young athletes from the nine mandate states.
The initiative is expected to help identify, groom, and nurture sports talents into national and international elite athletes, contributing to youth empowerment and regional sports competitiveness.
In a statement shared on Facebook, by the NDDC’s director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, he highlighted the commission’s commitment to using sports as a tool for societal transformation, unity, and security in the region.
The commission emphasized its partnership with Dunamis Icon Limited as the project consultant, assuring the public of a well-coordinated and impactful event.
However, the announcement sparked mixed reactions from the public on NDDC’s social media platform.
Many commenters raised concerns about the status of the much-anticipated 10,000 Youth Internship Programme promised by the commission.
One user, All Shine Ndifreke, expressed skepticism, saying, “NDDC una don cook another lies again for the youths of this region, forgetting that you promised the youth 10,000 internship program.”
Another commenter, Daniel E Idonije, queried, “Internship program is not being discussed again… or is it canceled already?”
Despite the criticisms, some comments were supportive of the sports initiative. Comrade Joel Elila described it as “a welcome development,” praising Dr Samuel Ogbuku, NDDC’s MD/CEO, for the effort.
The NDDC did not address the concerns about the internship programme in the announcement but maintained that the sports festival would contribute positively to youth development and social cohesion in the region.
