As the planning towards the 22nd National Sports Festival holding in Ogun State gathers momentum, the National Sports Commission (NSC), owners of the sports fiesta, has announced Enugu State as the successor to games that will begin in January.

With Ogun State billed to host the next edition of the games in January 2025,  this marks the first time the host of the subsequent Games is known before the end of the current Festival.

On Tuesday, it will be 50 days to the beginning of the edition that is holding in Ogun State. Already, a sporting hub of Ikenne, Ilishan, Sagamu and Abeokuta, is already bubbling as finishing touches are being put into the upgrading of facilities.

Bukola Olopade, the chairman of the Local Organising Committee who now wears an additional cap as NSC Director General has assured that Ogun State is set to deliver a sporting spectacle at Gateway Games 2024.

In a similar vein, the top management of the NSC  announced Enugu State as the host of the 23rd edition of the National Sports Festival.

The Coal City State emerged top from a competitive bidding process and the state is set to deliver a world-class event.

The National Sports Festival, a biennial multi-sports event, brings together thousands of athletes from Nigeria’s 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory to celebrate sportsmanship, national unity and sporting excellence.

Olopade revealed that the Gateway Games will host over 15,000 athletes. He reaffirmed the NSC’s commitment to supporting Ogun State in delivering a premium tournament.

With Enugu’s selection for the 23rd edition, the festival promises to uphold its legacy of excellence, inclusivity, and showcasing the best of Nigerian sports talent, while unearthing talents good enough to fly the flag of the nation internationally.

This marks the first time the South-Eastern State will be staging the event since its inception in 1973.

The 21st edition of the Games was hosted by Asaba, Delta State, with over 11,000 athletes participating in the grand tournament.