Niger Delta Games: Delta Targets Crown After Painful Uyo Loss
Delta State is gearing up to reclaim its dominance at the forthcoming 2nd Niger Delta Games scheduled to hold in Benin City, Edo State, from February 20 to 27, 2026.
After narrowly missing out on the crown at the maiden edition in Uyo last year, Team Delta has vowed to correct the mistakes that cost them the title.
At the Uyo 2025 Games, Delta led the overall medal table with 99 medals, 41 gold, 26 silver and 32 bronze, but were edged out by Bayelsa, who clinched victory with 42 gold, 29 silver and 15 bronze.
Edo State finished third with 23 gold, 35 silver and 31 bronze. The loss, by just one gold medal, remains a painful memory for Delta athletes and officials who had already begun celebrating before Bayelsa’s late surge.
With over 3,000 under-20 athletes from the nine Niger Delta states expected to compete across 17 sports in Benin, the stakes are even higher this year. Organisers say the event will surpass the success of Uyo 2025, serving as a platform to discover and nurture regional talent.
Festus Ohwojero, Executive Assistant on Sports to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former Director General of the Delta Sports Commission, said the state is leaving nothing to chance.
‘We lost the title last year in Uyo by one gold medal, and our athletes and coaches are working hard to ensure such does not happen again as we prepare for Benin City 2026,’ he stated.
He added that the team is not under pressure, expressing confidence that Delta will ‘get it right this time.’
The Niger Delta Games is sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission, with Dunamis-Icon Limited owning the franchise.
As the countdown continues, all eyes will be on Delta to see if they can finally secure the crown that slipped from their grasp in Uyo.
