Several northern states are threatening to withdraw from the 2026 National Sports Festival in Enugu State over the reduction of sporting events from 40 to 15. The Chairman of the Niger State Sports Commission, Abdullahi Masu, announced the potential boycott during a press briefing in Minna. He condemned the National Sports Commission's decision as unjustifiable and damaging to sports development. Masu revealed that northern states, including Niger, have invested heavily in training athletes for events now excluded.
Among the removed sports are handball, volleyball, basketball, football, and hockey—events where northern teams traditionally perform strongly. Masu argued that competing under the new structure would waste public funds, as many trained athletes would have no chance to participate. He warned the cuts could increase athlete unemployment and weaken grassroots sports. The festival is set for November 2026 in Enugu State.
Masu called for an immediate reversal of the decision and urged the National Sports Commission to expand the event list. He questioned Enugu State's ability to host under the current format and suggested relocating or sharing hosting duties. He stressed that limiting competition to 15 sports is insufficient for a national festival.
Abdullahi Masu highlights a contradiction: the National Sports Festival is meant to unite, yet the reduction of events risks alienating regions with strong team-sport investments. Niger State athletes who trained for football, basketball and volleyball now face exclusion despite years of preparation. Public funds spent on their training may yield no return if the event list remains unchanged. The credibility of the festival as a national unifier hinges on reversing this selective narrowing.
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