Several northern states have threatened to withdraw from the 2026 edition of the National Sports Festival, citing dissatisfaction with the reduction in the number of sporting events scheduled for the competition.
The tournament, billed to take place in Enugu State in November, is now at the centre of controversy following a decision by the National Sports Commission to cut participating events from 40 to just 15.
Chairman of the Niger State Sports Commission, Abdullahi Masu, made the position of the affected states known while addressing journalists in Minna.
He described the move as unjustifiable and harmful to the growth of sports across the country.
Masu argued that several states, particularly in the northern region, have invested heavily over the years in training athletes for events that have now been excluded from the festival.
According to him, the reduction would disproportionately affect the region, which has traditionally excelled in a number of team sports.
He warned that participating under such conditions would amount to a misuse of public resources, as many athletes would be left without the opportunity to compete.
He specifically highlighted the removal of key team sports, including handball, volleyball, basketball, football, and hockey, describing their exclusion as a major setback for grassroots sports development.
The Niger sports boss also expressed concern that sidelining these disciplines could lead to increased unemployment among athletes and weaken the country’s sports ecosystem.
Masu called on the National Sports Commission to urgently review its decision, urging the body to expand the list of events to ensure inclusivity and protect the interests of competitors nationwide.
He further questioned the readiness of Enugu State to host the festival under the current arrangement, suggesting that the hosting rights could either be reassigned or shared with another state to guarantee broader participation.
Emphasising the importance of the festival as a unifying national platform, he insisted that limiting participation to only 15 sports federations undermines its purpose and scale.
The threat of a boycott now raises fresh uncertainty over the organisation of the 2026 games, with stakeholders calling for swift intervention to resolve the dispute and preserve the integrity of Nigeria’s premier multi-sport event.
