By Our reporter 2.2.2026
Renowned rugby technocrat Obong Ntiense Williams has appealed to the National Sports Commission to list rugby as one of medal winning sport of the National Sports Festival starting with Enugu 2026.
According to Mr. Williams popularly known as Mr. Rugby, the NSC as matter of priority should encourage the participation of rugby being an Olympics sport albeit the “sevens” version. He argued that rugby’s inclusion in the NSF will enable Nigerian players to horn their skills.
“This initiative if sustained will help our athletes reach the podium at the Olympics and other international sporting events in the years to come, as it is a game-changer for the development of sports in Nigeria,” Williams said in a statement.
He said the NSC having held a demonstration event for rugby at the 2025 Gateway Games, should take a step forward to allow the participation of rugby as a full-fledged medal winning sport.
Williams submitted that rugby is widespread and popular in Nigeria with 24 States Associations and efforts are being made to establish the sport in additional States of the Federation. He stated that due to the fact rugby is not in the NSF, many rugby players have been laid off in the some of the States.
“A permanent inclusion in the National Sports Festival would provide a platform for states to invest in Rugby, thereby promoting its growth given the fact that Rugby is a scoring event at the All Africa Games, Commonwealth Games, Olympics Games with Two World Cups (First team sports with two World Cups every four years) and it features in many other world sports platforms.”
Mr Williams who was instrumental to the formation of the Nigeria Rugby Federation in 1998 submitted that Nigerians are well suited to play the game.
“Many prominent Nigerians are plying their trade in high profile professional Rugby outfits around the world. Presently a Nigerian is the Captain of the England national team, being the second. The first actually won the first Rugby 7’s Rugby World Cup in 1993 alongside four other Nigerians in the team,” Mr. Williams added.
”It is therefore for these main reasons and much more that we are passionately appealing to the NSC to once again allow rugby to return to the next edition of the National Sports Festival in Enugu on a permanent basis as an Olympic Sports like Volleyball, Basketball, Handball, Hockey, and Football respectively are presently listed.”