The year 2026 might be the busiest in Nigeria’s sports history in recent times, as the National Sports Commission (NSC), yesterday, announced Lagos State as host for the first edition of the National Intermediate Games.
 
Next year, Enugu will host the National Sports Festival, while Delta will stage the National Youth Games. Nigeria will participate in the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and if the Super Eagles eventually qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it means the sports sector will be in for a bumper year.
 
The concept of the Intermediary Games is one of the RHINSE initiatives of the NSC to structurally harness, monitor and develop the country’s sporting talents within the ages of 16-19.
 
Chairman of the NSC, Shehu Dikko, said that as a country, Nigeria must have a proper grassroots model for the discovery of budding talents, which will show an organic pathway system to the elite cadre.
 
“We are determined to have a sustainable podium success at International competitions, but it will only come with having the right structure that can aid elite success, and the intermediary games will strengthen our goals.

“The bedrock of every sustained sports development is an effective grassroots system, and this is what we are aggressively pursuing with the mandate given to us by Mr President,” Dikko said.

The NSC Director General, Bukola Olopade, said the Intermediate Games are another intentional step to curb some of the age challenges of the country’s grassroots sports.
 
“With the National Youth Games and the National Sports Festival fully established, the Intermediate Games will help bridge the gap and will give better clarity to our grassroots development drive and will help our young athletes to have better preparations before they move to the elite level. And we are very excited that Lagos State has graciously agreed to host the first edition, which will go down as a major milestone in the illustrious sporting history of our country,” Olopade stated.