In a bid to make the 23rd National Sports Festival, Enugu 2026, better, some corporate giants have keyed into the event. In a landmark agreement, yesterday, PremiumTrust Bank and BetKing were announced as key sponsors for the festival, setting the stage for what is projected to be one of the most successful and impactful festival in the history of the Games.

Like the recently concluded Gateway Games in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where Premium Trust Bank was the headline sponsor, the bank has, again, emerged the headline sponsor for Enugu 2026 Games.

The announcement followed a high-level meeting in Enugu, yesterday, involving the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, Premium Trust Bank Managing Director, Emmanuel Efe Emefienim, and the MD of BetKing, Gossy Ukanwoke.

The discussion focused on key elements of the upcoming festival, from infrastructure, logistics, sponsorship, youth development and legacy programming.

The decision by key sponsors to invest in Enugu 2026 was also largely influenced by Governor Peter Mbah, whose commitment to infrastructure renewal, youth empowerment, and innovation in governance has inspired confidence in the state’s readiness to host a world-class Games.

While Premium Trust Bank is the headline, BetKing was confirmed as a major sponsor.

Speaking on the development, Olopade stated that the agreements serve as a direct reflection of the President Bola Tinubu administration’s drive to reposition sports as a vital part of national development with a buoyant sports economy that would lead to increased job creation, youth engagement, and infrastructure investment.

“This is a turning point for Nigerian sports,”Olopade said, adding: “We are witnessing the real impact of the Renewed Hope agenda. Sport is no longer being seen as a recreational afterthought, it’s now viewed as a national asset.”