By our reporter 22.2.2026
Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports, Daniel Igali, said his team to the Niger Delta Games will do all its best to retain the title they won in the first edition in face of strong competition in Benin City, Edo State the venue of the 2026 edition.
Bayelsa were champions at the maiden Niger Delta Games in Uyo Akwa Ibom. In 2026 Delta and Edo States are aiming to clinch first position. After two days of contest it is hard to predict who will top the medals table.
“I need to clarify something. We are talking about two different festivals here,” Igali said.
“The first one was a senior festival, which was for athletes aged 25 and under.
“This one is for junior athletes, aged 19 and under. So, this is a completely different festival.
“Whoever wins here will be winning for the first time. The one we won is ours forever. No one can take that away from us.”
However, Igali maintained that he and team are not in Benin City to make up the numbers.
According to him, Bayelsa has assembled a strong team built on a solid youth development structure and is confident of finishing among the top contenders.
“Talking about this one, we are here to compete, and we believe we will be one of the top teams here.
“Across the board, we feel we have assembled a strong team and built a solid youth network. We believe that at the end of these Games, we will be among the top teams,” he added.
To show the high level of contest, Bayelsa beat Delta by just one gold in Uyo.
They finished with 42 gold medals, just one ahead of Delta State, who pushed them all the way with 41 gold medals in a fiercely contested race to the top of the medals table.
With the second edition now underway in Benin, all eyes will be on whether Bayelsa can translate their strong youth system into another podium-topping performance, even if, as Igali insists, this is technically a new chapter altogether.