The organisers of the Niger Delta Games (NDG) has reiterated that participating states are prohibited from presenting non-indigenous athletes at the second edition of the games, which is to be hosted by Edo State from 20 to 27 February 2026.
At a media event in Benin City, the state capital, on Wednesday, Dunamis-Icon Limited, and the host state restated their commitment to organising the biggest regional sporting fiesta that will surpass the maiden edition in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The Managing Consultant of Dunamis-Icon Limited, Sir Itiako Malik Ikpokpo declared:
“We are determined to stamp out the practice of athletes poaching, buying of discovered athletes from other states. So, states can only field athletes verified to be an indigene of the state’.
Ikpokpo, who is the project manager and Co-Chairman of NDG’s Main Organising Committee, clarified the regulation: ‘We want to encourage grassroots development of sports by discovering and nurturing talents in the nine states. There is no state that can not find talents that can represent them’.
According to him, ‘the Niger Delta region has consistently produced some of Nigeria’s finest athletes’, stressing that ‘the nine Niger Delta states are blessed with abundant sporting talents’.
Towards ensuring compliance, the organisers have set up a monitoring system that will be deployed for screening, while coaches have been advised to scout talents at the grassroots. Ikpokpo said: ‘True athletes are found in classrooms and communities’.
