It will be a first of its type as the Games of the 22nd edition of the National Sports Festival gets its own apps aiming to revolutionise the overall experience of what will easily pass as the best edition ever.

Never before in the past 50 years had a mobile application been developed for the National Sports Festival.

But the 2024 edition, codenamed “Gateway Games” is opening new gates for innovation.

It is at the verge of a revolution that will give the attendees, the athletes, organisers  and sponsors a new experience by the leverage of a state-of-the-art technology .

A mobile app is being develop that will take the Gateway Games beyond the confines of Nigeria, giving the global audience a real-time experience on their mobile phones and computers.

According to Abiola Odetola,  who is working on the digitalizing the Gateway Games, two companies, VerveTree  Global Resources and Karpos Creation Limited are working on the development of the cutting-edge app.

While making a presentation to the Local Organising Committee at a retreat at the sumptuous facilities of Beyond Limits Football Academy in Ikenne, Odetola remarked that he gained inspirations from experiences at the Qatar 2022 World Cup and organisers’ preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

He disclosed that spectators and fans will enjoy real-time access to event schedules, live streaming and athletes’ profiles.

“This will foster deeper connection of the people with the sports they love”, remarked Odetola. The package will feature personalised schedules for the athletes and teams.

The organisers and volunteers will also benefit from the robust event management tools, ensuring efficient coordination and a seamless execution of the festival.

It will also be a haven for sponsors and partners of the National Sports Festival as they will gain unparalleled brand visibility through strategic integrations and promotional opportunities.

The app will also serve as event management tool for volunteers registration as well as for logistics and coordination.

It will give access to real-time data on attendance, ticket sales and venue capacities.

Apart from being a social media integration tool, the app developers also disclosed that it will be an efficient communication channels for coordinating with volunteers, staff and stakeholders.

It will enable spectators and fans, especially those outside Ogun State to browse and book accommodation listed by the hospitality partners.

It also becomes useful for emergency communication, especially the ones that require rapid response and security issues.

The Main Organising Committee and the Local Organising Committee for the National Sports Festival scheduled to be hosted by Ogun State will start a two-day meeting on Monday.

Members of the two bodies arrived the beyond Limits Football Academy Hotel in the Remo Stars Stadium Complex on Sunday.

They are due to begin proceedings on Monday  at 10am.

After the early morning meeting both bodies will embark on a tour of the Gateway Stadium in Sagamu and the Remo Stars Stadium, venues for football matches and some indoor and outdoor events for the 22^nd edition of the National Sports Festival.

On Tuesday, similar facility visits will be made to the sporting complexes in Abeokuta.

The MOC is headed by Ismaila Abubakar, Permanent Secretary of Sports Development with Bukola Olapade, (Chairman LOC) as Vice Chairman.

Other members of the committee are Dr. Paul Onyeudo, Olufehinti Olusegun, Mohammed Manga, Gregory Zi, Ms Fadeke Fadeyibi,  Abolore Alanamu, Patrick Okeke, Mrs. Amaka Ashiofu, Prof. Olawale Moronkola,  Habu Gumel, Sunday Odebode, Emmanuel Utobo, Bamiduro Olumide and Brendan Ndifon.

The LOC on the other hand has Tilewa Adebajo as co-chairman and Kweku Tandoh as tje executive secretary.

Some of the other members are Falilat Ogunkoya, Modele Sarafa Yusuf, Emma Igbinosa, Dr. Ademola Are and Kunle Solaja.

On Tuesday, the members will travel to Abeokuta in the morning for facilities tour while the LOC will hold its own meeting later in the afternoon.

LOC boss, Olopade told our correspondent at the weekend that all was set for the meeting which will kick start preparation for the Ogun 2023 games in concrete terms.

Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh on Tuesday inaugurated the Main Organising Committee (MOC) of the 22nd National Sports Festival slated to take place in Ogun State next year.

Inaugurating the committee at the media centre inside the MKO Abiola National Stadium Complex Abuja, the minister charged members of the committee to work hard to deliver a seamless and successful games next year.

The minister who noted that delivering a successful games requires hard work however noted that with the commitment of Ogun State Government and the calibre of members of the committee, he was optimistic that the committee would surmount all the challenges to deliver a successful games.

Enoh observed that the normal practice was for the funding of the games to be shared between the Ministry of Sports and the state hosting the games.

He stated that with the National Sports Industry Policy kicking in, sports should be seen as not only recreation but business.

He observed that after 22 editions, the National Sports Games has become a brand capable of attracting corporate  sponsorship.

The minister therefore encouraged the committee to package the games in such a way to make it attractive for the private sector to sponsor.

He described sports as a multi billion business adding that if private sector driven sports industry could work in other climes, there is no reason it should not work in Nigeria.

Senator Owan Enoh appealed to the private sector and corporate organizations to support sports development in the country.

Responding on behalf of the newly inaugurated committee, Ismaila Abubakar,the Permanent Secretary of the ministry and Chairman of the Organizing Committee informed the Minister that members of the committee were fully aware that the responsibility of organizing successful games rest on them.

He assured him that the committee would mobilise both human and material resources to ensure that the games is hosted without hitches.

Earlier, Wasiu Isiaka,the Ogun State Commissioner of Sports assured the Minister that the state was fully prepared to deliver a successful games.

The Main Organising Committee (MOC) of the National Sports Festival comprises Ismaila Abubakar, Permanent Secretary of Sports Development as Chairman and Bukola Olapade, (Chairman LOC) as Vice Chairman.

Other members of the committee are Dr. Paul Onyeudo, Olufehinti Olusegun, Mohammed Manga, Gregory Zi, Ms Fadeke Fadeyibi,  Abolore Alanamu, Patrick Okeke, Mrs. Amaka Ashiofu, Prof. Olawale Moronkola,  Habu Gumel, Sunday Odebode, Emmanuel Utobo, Bamiduro Olumide and Brendan Ndifon.