EKO 2026 Will Stop Young Sports Talents From Slipping Away – Sanwo-Olu
Kehinde Adeleye
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said the inaugural National Intermediate Games, EKO 2026, will help discover, develop and retain young sporting talents in Nigeria.
The Games will take place in Lagos from October 1 to 15, with between 14,000 and 15,000 young athletes expected to participate.
Sanwo-Olu said the event would create a clear pathway for young athletes to develop their skills and eventually represent Nigeria at national and international competitions.
Lagos was chosen by the National Sports Commission as the host state for the first edition of the National Intermediate Games.
The governor spoke during an inspection of rehabilitation work at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, one of the venues for the Games.
Sanwo-Olu said EKO 2026 would help address the challenge of promising athletes being lost before they reach the elite level.
He said the aim was not just to organise a sporting event but to build a system that would identify and nurture young talents from the grassroots.
“We want to hold grassroots sports. We want to encourage young people before they begin to leave. We want to nurture and develop all our children,” the governor said.
He added that Lagos had invested heavily in the rehabilitation of sports facilities across the state, including venues in Surulere, Ifako, Bariga, Ikorodu, Epe, Agege and Badagry.
At Teslim Balogun Stadium, Sanwo-Olu inspected the football and athletics arenas, indoor sports hall, volleyball court and swimming pool.
He disclosed that the main stadium bowl was undergoing reconstruction, while the football pitch had been upgraded to FIFA standards with natural grass installed.
The athletics track is expected to be completed within four to six weeks, while work on the swimming pool and other facilities will also be completed before the Games.
Sanwo-Olu expressed confidence that all venues would be ready for the October event.
He said the investment in sports infrastructure was aimed at giving young Nigerians the opportunity to discover their talents, develop their careers and pursue sporting opportunities without having to leave the country.
With thousands of young athletes expected to participate, EKO 2026 is expected to serve as a major talent-discovery platform for Nigeria’s next generation of sporting stars.
