The Enugu State Government has reaffirmed its readiness to host the 2026 National Sports Festival, with major infrastructural upgrades already underway across key venues.
Lloyd Ekweremadu, Enugu State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, gave the assurance over the weekend when members of the Greater Awgu Media Professionals (GAMP) paid him a courtesy visit.
Ekweremadu said that Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s Administration is committed to delivering world-class facilities for a successful hosting of the national event.
He revealed that a brand-new Games Village would be constructed in Awgu Local Government Area, designed to provide comprehensive accommodation and sporting infrastructure for athletes and officials. The facility, he said, would include a mini-stadium, standard athletic tracks, indoor sports halls, gymnastics arenas, a gymnasium, and provisions for sports like boxing and athletics.
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“Awgu Games Village will play a pivotal role in our hosting plans. It is a completely new development and will meet up with facilities tailored to meet international standards,” the Commissioner said.
He assured that despite operating within a tight budget, the State is making deliberate efforts to incorporate high-standard tracks and other essential elements to bolster athletics and other sporting disciplines.
The Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu, he said, would serve as the primary venue for most of the sporting events and is currently undergoing massive upgrades.
Ekweremadu stated that the stadium’s main bowl would be fully covered to enhance spectator comfort, and that the playing pitch would be replaced with a FIFA-certified turf.
“In its current state, the track at the stadium is not fit for competition. We are replacing it with an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)-certified PU track—the highest standard available,” he explained.
He further disclosed that the stadium complex would also feature a new Olympic-standard swimming pool with diving facilities and spectator stands. The indoor sports arena will be remodelled with new wooden flooring, upgraded lighting, and improved ventilation to support multipurpose usage.
In other venues, the Commissioner said that the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC) would host temporary sporting facilities, including the hockey tournament on its well-maintained AstroTurf. Indoor games like Chess, Scrabble, and Ayo would be hosted at the air-conditioned International Conference Centre.
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Ekweremadu also hinted at plans to introduce water sports, such as rowing and canoeing, which could take place at the Ugbo Dam in Awgu, pending its completion. He noted that host states are allowed to nominate optional sports, and Enugu aims to use that opportunity to expand the event’s scope.
“From the start of construction, we have a 12-month timeline for completion of all projects. The goal is to have everything ready by July 2026 to allow for test runs ahead of the festival, scheduled for the fourth quarter of the year,” he emphasised.
Chairman of GAMP, Regis Anukwuoji, commended the Commissioner and the State Government for their bold initiatives and political will to deliver international-standard facilities. He expressed optimism that the infrastructure, particularly the Awgu Games Village, would serve long-term economic and social development purposes beyond the festival.
“We are confident that the investments being made will not only support the 2026 Sports Festival but also contribute immensely to the local economy and youth development in Enugu State,” Anukwuoji stated.
