The Niger State Sports Commission has concluded plans to organise its maiden Inter-Collegiate Sports Festival, involving all tertiary institutions in the state.
The competition is scheduled to begin on February 9th, 2026 in Minna, the Niger State capital.
The Chairman of the Commission, Danjuma Abdullahi Masu, said this to journalists in Minna. He said the event will feature 11 tertiary institutions and is aimed at promoting unity among students, discovering new talents, and developing sports across the state.
Masu revealed that over 500 registered athletes will compete in 11 different sports, including all racket games, combat sports, football, volleyball, basketball, handball, chess and scrabble.
He explained that the Commission will continue to partner with the media to ensure effective publicity, advocacy and promotion of the event. According to him, seven universities, alongside other tertiary institutions in Niger State, have confirmed their participation.
The Chairman assured that participation and registration for the competition are free, stressing that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure transparency and proper coordination throughout the festival.
Masu commended Governor Mohammed Umar Bago for creating an enabling environment for sports development in the state. He also praised members of the Commission’s management team and individuals who donated medical supplies for the competition, while encouraging greater private sector involvement in sports development.
He further disclosed that four trophies and medals have been provided for the competition. The overall best institution will win the giant trophy, while the first, second and third runners-up will also receive trophies.
Other participants will be rewarded with silver and bronze medals, as well as sportswear. Outstanding athletes from each sport will be selected to represent Niger State at the National Sports Festival, scheduled to hold later this year in Enugu State.
Meanwhile, Masu has also expressed strong displeasure over what he described as the unfair treatment of Niger Tornadoes Football Club by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).
He warned that the state may withdraw the club from the ongoing Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), if the situation does not improve.
He criticised the frequent rescheduling of Niger Tornadoes’ home matches to other states, describing the action as politically motivated and driven by personal interests. Masu called on the NFF to reverse the decision, noting that the issue of camera positioning cited by the federation could be resolved within one week.
The Sports Commission Chairman maintained that the Niger State Stadium is better than many other stadia in the country, adding that politics should not be allowed to interfere with sports administration.
He urged football authorities to put their house in order to promote fairness and sustainable sports development in Nigeria.
