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No fewer than 10,000 athletes aged between 15 and 18 are expected to converge on Lagos State for the maiden National Inter-Mediary Games, with participants set to compete in 28 sporting disciplines across venues in the state.
The games, scheduled for October 1 to 15, 2026, are being positioned as a major platform for youth development, grassroots talent discovery and national integration.
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Sam Egube, disclosed this during a media parley in Lagos, describing the competition as a strategic pathway for discovering and nurturing Nigeria’s next generation of sporting stars.
According to him, the event will bring together some of the country’s most promising young athletes and create opportunities for them to progress from grassroots competition to the National Sports Festival, continental championships and, ultimately, the global sporting arena.
Egube said Lagos was deploying its extensive experience in hosting major national and international sporting events to deliver a world-class competition that would further strengthen the state’s reputation as Nigeria’s sports hub.
He added that beyond sporting competition, the games would generate economic opportunities for small businesses, while exposing participants and visitors to Lagos’ rich culture, hospitality and tourism attractions.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, said preparations for the games were progressing rapidly, noting that the state had 37 days to the commencement of the competition at the time of the media parley.
Ogunlende assured athletes, officials and visitors of a safe, well-organised and memorable experience, while urging the media to provide accurate information, promote Lagos’ attractions and reassure participants that the state was fully prepared to host the games.
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Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the state was determined to make the inaugural edition a success and establish a strong foundation for subsequent editions.
Omotoso said the initiative was designed to bridge the gap between emerging talents and professional sports by providing young athletes with the exposure, competition and development opportunities needed to reach the highest level.
He disclosed that several subcommittees had been constituted to oversee critical areas of the games, including security, transportation and athletes’ welfare.
The commissioner also revealed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had personally inspected some of the sporting facilities as part of efforts to ensure that Lagos was adequately prepared for the event.
The Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lanre Fatodu, described Lagos as a “serial trailblazer”, assuring that the state would draw on its wealth of experience in organising major sporting events to deliver a successful maiden edition.
The organisers said the National Inter-Mediary Games would go beyond medals and competition, serving as a launchpad for talent discovery, youth empowerment, national unity and the long-term development of sports at the grassroots.
With thousands of young athletes expected to participate across 28 disciplines, the games are poised to provide a new platform for Nigeria to identify, groom and project the sporting talents that could represent the country on the national, continental and international stages.
