The National Sports Commission (NSC) has officially announced the host states for the next two editions of the National Sports Festival, confirming Bayelsa for 2028 and Kaduna for 2030.

Bayelsa State will stage the 2028 Games, the first time the South-South state will host the multi-sport event. Kaduna, meanwhile, will welcome athletes nationwide in 2030, marking its third time as host after the 1977 and 2009 editions.

NSC Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade said both states demonstrated the commitment and readiness required to stage Nigeria’s biggest domestic sporting competition.

“We are glad that we have made the Sports Festival attractive again, where states are now showing serious interest to host. This is as a result of how President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has prioritised the sports sector under his administration,” Olopade said.

He added that part of the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy is focused on revamping and rebranding the festival, improving its structure, organisation, and standardisation.

“The 2025 National Sports Festival in Ogun State was adjudged the best ever in the history of the festival, but we are raising the bar further with the 2026 Games in Enugu, and now the 2028 and 2030 Games in Bayelsa and Kaduna states,” he added.