THE Abia State contingent to the 2026 Niger Delta Games will begin their final camping in Umuahia ahead of their departure for the games on February 19, according to officials of the team.

The teams are currently in various camps across the state, getting ready for what they believe will be the state’s best performance in any national competition in recent times.

Speaking on the state’s preparations for the games, Senior Special Assistant to Abia State Governor on Sports, Onyebuchi Chukwu, said that the government has assembled some of the best hands in sports to prepare the team for a glorious outing in Benin.

Onyebuchi, who said that the state is banking on its prowess in wrestling, boxing, handball, basketball and football to excel in Benin, revealed that Governor Alex Otti has tasked the state’s contingent to challenge fairly for the top spot.

At the maiden edition of the games in Uyo last year, Abia State ended in seventh place with 32 medals, just ahead of Imo and ninth-placed Cross River State.

“We are primed to surpass our performance in Uyo because we have prepared better than we did last year.
“With the massive support we have received from Governor Alex Otti and the way the athletes have approached the preparation for the games, we believe that we will be among the top states at the end of the competition.”

“As we speak, the various teams are rounding off their preparations; they will assemble in Umuahia on February 15 for a four-day final camping before moving to Benion on February 19,” Chukwu said.

The second Niger Delta Games will hold in Benin from February 20 to 27, 2026.

Meanwhile, Abia State will receive the games torch in Umuahia today in a ceremony to be attended by some top government officials and members of the organising committee.

The torch began its journey to Benin on Monday with a stop in Calabar, Cross River State.

The torch, which is the symbol of the Games, will pass through the capitals of all nine participating states that make up the Niger Delta region.

According to a statement released by organisers of the games, the torch landed in Akwa Ibom State yesterday and will get to Umuahia today before leaving for Owerri and Port Harcourt on February 12 and February 13, respectively.

Bayelsa will host the Games Torch on February 14, while Delta State will receive it on February 16, from where it proceeds to Ondo on the 18th.

The Games Torch would light the cauldron at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium to symbolise the start of the Games on the opening day, and would on the last day be handed over to the next host state.