The upcoming Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF) in Akwa Ibom is set to significantly boost economic activities in the state, with organisers planning extensive accommodation arrangements for athletes, officials, and VIP guests.
Event organisers have projected at least 3,000 bed spaces for athletes and coaches, along with over 2,000 hotel accommodations for administrators, officials, and distinguished guests.
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This estimate does not include the anticipated influx of local and international media, sports scouts, enthusiasts, and tourists.
Head of Special Duties, Onome Obruthe, confirmed to the NDSF Media Channel that data collation is ongoing to determine the exact number of participants across different categories. However, he provided an early estimate, stating, “We can at least confirm that athletes alone will account for close to 3,000 from the nine Niger Delta states.”
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Mr Obruthe also highlighted the festival’s international scope, emphasising that regulatory officials from global sports bodies will be involved in officiating events such as athletics, wrestling, and weightlifting.
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“We are working on accommodation for athletes, coaches, technical officials, administrators, organisers, and guests,” he said. “This is approaching the size of a national sports festival, and we are going in this direction to set the markers for sports development in line with the vision of the Federal Government to create a sports economy.”
The inaugural NDSF is scheduled to take place in Akwa Ibom from 1 to 8 April and will feature participation from the nine states under the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC): Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers.
The NDDC serves as the festival’s major sponsor, with the primary goal of identifying and nurturing sporting talent across the region, providing young athletes with a platform to showcase their abilities and advance their careers through sports.
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