NSC approves 15 sports for Inaugural National Intermediate Games in Lagos

Posted : 13 May 2026

The Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, says the inaugural National Intermediate Games coming up in Lagos is one of the biggest policy shifts of the Commission since President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, re-established the NSC.

The Director General stated this during the inaugural meeting of the Main Organising Committee of the Games held in Abuja.

"The Intermediate Games will surely be one of our true sporting legacies in terms of podium placement, grassroots development, and building capacity, which is why we are very excited at the Commission."

"We have always struggled to find the right balance between the Youth Games and our elite competitions, and this is the whole essence of creating these Intermediate Games."

"We also want to go back to the good old days and bring back the intermediate sports system that produced some of the country's finest sportsmen and women in the seventies and eighties."

"Myself and Chairman, Shehu Dikko, have no doubt that Lagos will be ready to host an excellent competition because Lagos is the biggest hub of sports in Nigeria."

"I also want to thank the sports-loving Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his team in the Lagos State Sports Commission for their continuous support and alignment with President Tinubu's national vision for Nigerian sports," he concluded.

The Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, who also doubled as the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the Games, Lekan Fatodu, said Lagos is determined to create legacies and set very competitive standards by hosting truly world-class games.

"We are grateful to the Sports Commission for having full confidence in us in Lagos, and I can assure you that we will not disappoint that trust."

"We have already started work to make these games the most engaging multi-sports competitions, and we have no doubt that the entire sports ecosystem in Nigeria is about to witness something special in Lagos," he said.

The National Intermediate Games has been slated to hold from the 1st of October to the 15th of October 2026, and it is open to all athletes within the age of 16 to 19.

The Main Organising Committee also affirmed that the template being used for the National Sports Festival in Enugu State, in terms of sports selection, is used for the Intermediate Games where 15 sports have been picked as compulsory sports.

The sports include:

Athletics and Para Athletics
Badminton and Para Badminton
Basketball
Boxing
Cycling
Football
Gymnastics
Judo
Swimming
Table Tennis and Para Table Tennis
Tennis
Taekwondo
Volleyball and Beach Volleyball
Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting
Wrestling

The approval of these fifteen sports marks a pivotal step in bridging the gap between grassroots athletics and elite professional competition. With Lagos set to host the event this October, the National Intermediate Games are poised to revitalize Nigeria's sporting framework and discover the next generation of international champions.

NSC approves 15 sports for Inaugural National Intermediate Games in Lagos

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