Dunamis-Icon Limited and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have awarded the hosting rights of the 2nd Niger Delta Games to Edo State.
The state was on Tuesday, 2 December, unveiled as the host state of the games, which the NDDC has identified as a platform to provide youths in the region opportunities to express their talents in sports.
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The announcement was made at a very impressive ceremony at the Ballroom of the Edo State Government House and attended by the Governor, Monday Okpebholo, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Stanley Ogbuku Edo State Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa and the Executive Director, Finance, Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye and Itiako Ikpokpo, the Chairman and managing director of Dunamis Icon amongst other top state functionaries and the NDDC top management.
In his remarks, Mr Ogbuku explained the choice of Edo State to host the second edition of the games.
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“Edo State was a deliberate choice to host the second edition of the games because it has good facilities that will just allow us to come here in 2026 and have fun”, Ogbuku stated and assured the Governor that in the cause of bringing the event to Benin, the NDDC will also rehabilitate some of the sports facilities in the state.
He recalled that a number of sports infrastructure in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, were rehabilitated for the 1st NDG in April 2025.
“We uplifted the Uyo Township Stadium and brought back their swimming pool to effective use. The tracks at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium was also rehabilitated as part of our interventions while the Gross Domestic Product of the state increased as a result of the influx of over 3000 athletes, 500 technical officials and huge number of visitors within the one week window.
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Governor Okpebholo said that Edo State would not only provide an enabling environment and facilities for the games but will also host to win.
Governor Okpebholo, while accepting the state’s selection to host the games, pledged that Edo State would deliver a sports festival better than the previous edition.
“You have chosen the right state,” the governor said.
“We are not just the Heartbeat of the Nation for nothing. We have the strength, we have the athletes, and we have what it takes to win every sporting activity.”
“In Uyo at the last games, we went with our third eleven, this time, we will have our first eleven and win in every sport.
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Mr Ikpokpo, the Project Consultant, in his welcome address traced the beginning of the games concept to the cardinal purpose of building a new generation of very young athletes from the region to fill the gap of the old generation of athletes who made Niger Delta and Nigeria proud.
“We found a partner in the NDDC that believes in impacting the lives of the youths through sports…and the Niger Delta Games has provided the platform that serves to engage our youths,” Mr Ikpokpo stated.
Bayelsa State emerged champions of the inaugural edition of the games which held from 1 to 8 April in Uyo.
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