South East Development Commission Pledges Support for National Sports Festival, Enugu 2026
The 2026 National Sports Festival, tagged the Coal City Games, has received a major boost with the South East Development Commission (SEDC) pledging financial support for the event.
The festival, which will be hosted in Enugu State, marks the first time in 28 years that the South East region will stage Nigeria’s biggest multi-sport competition.
Mark Okoye, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the SEDC, said the Commission’s involvement aligns with its mandate to drive meaningful development across all sectors in the region.
He emphasized the power of sports in youth development and expressed confidence that the Coal City Games will build on the transformation seen at last year’s Gateway Games in Ogun State.
Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, described the partnership as proof of the growing appeal of the National Sports Festival to both corporate Nigeria and government institutions.
He credited the renewed momentum in Nigerian sports to the backing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that the Coal City Games will further consolidate the gains made in Ogun.
Olopade thanked Okoye and the SEDC for their commitment, stressing that the Commission is determined to make the National Sports Festival a world-class competition.
He also called on more corporate bodies to support the Games, which promise to be a landmark event for the South East and Nigerian sports as a whole.
