By Dickson Omobola

Lagos State government has given approval for the inauguration of the Local Organising Committee, LOC, for the maiden National Intermediate Games, NIG, Lagos 2026.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu granted the approval, effectively activating the institutional machinery required to host the country’s first-ever dedicated transition tournament for athletes aged 16 to 19.

The competition, conceived as a bridge for young athletes, will enable them transition from grassroots to elite national levels, just as the National Intermediate Games will provide a structured and competitive platform for participants from across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The committee has been tasked with staging a superlative sporting spectacle that reflects the Greater Lago vision.

Those leading the LOC are Co-Chairmen, Mr Sam Egube, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor of Lagos; Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende, Commissioner for Youth and Social Development; and Mr. Lekan Fatodu, Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, LSSC.

The LOC will coordinate all logistical, technical and strategic frameworks required to deliver a seamless and memorable game. It will liaise with the National Sports Commission, the respective national sports federations, and key stakeholders to ensure the competition meets the highest standards of organisation, integrity, and athlete welfare.

Speaking on the significance of the development, the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr Lekan Fatodu, said: “Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has once again demonstrated that his commitment to the youth of this state and the nation is not merely rhetorical but deeply structural. By providing an unrivalled enabling environment and the robust political will to back our sporting initiatives, the Governor has turned Lagos into a global laboratory for talent excellence. This initiative will serve as the vehicle to execute Mr Governor’s vision of making sports a viable pathway for economic empowerment and national pride.”

Building on this, Fatodu further emphasised that the Governor’s consistent support has enabled the Commission to flourish institutionally, ensuring that the 2026 intermediate games will feature state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure that meet international elite standards.

Also speaking on the collaborative nature of the tournament, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, said: “There is a unique energy that Lagos brings to national assignments, and with this high-calibre LOC, we are confident the National Intermediate Games are in the best possible hands. We look forward to a synergy between the National Sports Commission and the Lagos State Sports Commission that sets a permanent gold standard for youth competitions in Africa.”