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The National Sports Commission (NSC) has announced Bayelsa and Kaduna states as hosts of the 2028 and 2030 editions of the National Sports Festival, marking what the Commission describes as a significant step forward for sports development in Nigeria.
According to the NSC, the 2028 festival will be staged in Bayelsa State—its first time hosting the nation’s biggest multi-sport event—while Kaduna State will take its turn in 2030, marking the third time the northern state will host the Games after successful editions in 1977 and 2009.
Director General of the Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, said both states demonstrated strong commitment and readiness to stage the competition, a shift from previous years when the festival often faced uncertainty over host selection.
“We are glad that we have made the Sports Festival attractive again, where states are now showing serious interest to host,” Olopade said. “This is as a result of how President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has prioritised the sports sector under his administration.”
He added that the Commission’s RHINSE (Renewed Hope Initiative for the Nigerian Sports Economy) agenda is geared toward revamping and rebranding the festival to align with the operational standards of international competitions such as the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games.
Olopade noted that the 2025 edition in Ogun State—widely regarded as the best in the history of the festival—set a new benchmark for organisation and participation. He assured that the bar would be raised even higher with the upcoming 2026 Games in Enugu, and subsequently in Bayelsa and Kaduna.
The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Press, National Sports Commission, Dr. (Mrs.) Kehinde Ajayi, FCAI, ANIPR, on November 28, 2025.
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