Niger delta games to host coaching workshop ahead of 2026 edition

Coaches and technical officials set to participate in the 2026 Niger Delta Games will benefit from a dedicated training programme aimed at enhancing their efficiency, the managing consultant for the event has announced, Sport360NG reports.

Sir Itiako Ikpokpo, Managing Director of Dunamis Icon Limited, disclosed the plan during an interview with Channels Sports, highlighting efforts to sustain talent discovery across the region.

Addressing concerns about the challenges faced by coaches, Ikpokpo noted the issue of poor remuneration, questioning how they could be expected to travel to local communities to scout for talent under such conditions.

“To address this, we are partnering with the Niger Delta Development Commission and, specifically for this edition, the Nigeria Local Content Development and Management Board to organise a workshop in January for coaches and technical officials,” he said.

Ikpokpo also called on federal and state governments to invest in sports infrastructure at the same level as they fund roads and hospitals. “For us to make any impact in sports, the government must invest in sports facilities. Building roads and hospitals is important, but so is developing sports infrastructure,” he added.

Echoing the concern, the chairman of the Delta State Athletics Association lamented that many schools in Nigeria are constructed without sports grounds. “Schools are the cradle of sports development, yet we have institutions with no provision for sports facilities,” he said.

Ikpokpo further assured that the second edition of the Niger Delta Games, slated to take place in Benin, Edo State, would surpass the inaugural event in all aspects, promising improvements across the board.