Skip to main content

Corporate bodies show interest in 23rd National Sports Festival

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye

...As Premium Trust Bank emerges as lead sponsor
By Maxwell Kumoye 
 
  

Corporate bodies in Nigeria are indicating their readiness to partner with the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Enugu State Government to make the 23rd National Sports Festival a huge success story.

Your authoritative and award-winning news channel FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG, understands that two companies have thrown their weight behind the 2026 Festival scheduled to hold in cool city of Enugu, Enugu State, South-East, Nigeria.

 PremiumTrust Bank and BetKing are the first sets of sponsors for the 23rd edition of the Games, setting the stage for what is projected to be the most successful and impactful Festival.

The deal followed a high-level meeting in Enugu between the Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, PremiumTrust Bank Managing Director Emmanuel Efe Emefienim, CON, the MD of BetKing, Gossy Ukanwoke and Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Honourable Bukola Olopade.

The discussion focused on key elements of the upcoming festival—from infrastructure, logistics, sponsorship, youth development and legacy programming.

The decision by key sponsors to invest in Enugu 2026 was also largely influenced by the visionary leadership of Governor Peter Mbah, whose commitment to infrastructure renewal, youth empowerment, and innovation in governance has inspired confidence in the state’s readiness to host a world-class Games. Stakeholders at the meeting commended his bold agenda for transforming Enugu into a hub for investment and development.

PremiumTrust Bank, under the leadership of Managing Director Emmanuel Efe Emefienim, CON, has emerged as the headline sponsor of the 2026 Games.

BetKing, under the stewardship of Gossy Ukanwoke, was confirmed as a major sponsor.

This development underscores the private sector’s growing confidence in the nation’s sports ecosystem.

Director General of the National Sports Commission, Honourable Bukola Olopade stated that the agreements serve as a direct reflection of the President Tinubu administration’s drive to reposition sports as a vital part of national development with a buoyant sports economy that would lead to increased job creation, youth engagement, and infrastructure investment.

“This is a turning point for Nigerian sports,” said NSC DG Honourable Bukola Olopade. “We are witnessing the real impact of the Renewed Hope agenda. Sport is no longer being seen as a recreational afterthought—it’s now viewed as a national asset.”

PremiumTrust Bank which played a leading role in the successful hosting of Gateway Games Ogun 2024, returns as the headline sponsor, further solidifying its role in the growth of grassroots and elite sports in Nigeria.

“We are not only unlocking opportunities for our athletes but also establishing a credible path for sports to contribute to national GDP, employment, and related valuechain,” Chief Olopade added.

OUR COVERAGE OF THE JUST CONCLUDED 22ND NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL WAS PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY EMMANUEL EGBELE.

Emmanuel EGBELE is the initiator of one of the most prestigious scrabble competitions in Nigeria - the Emmanuel Egbele Annual Scrabble Tournament (EEAST).

Emmanuel Egbele Annual Scrabble Tournament (EEAST), made its grand entry into the Nigeria scrabble circuit in 2021.

Support FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG
   
We Need Your Assistance To Provide Quality Reports All The Time.

FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG's news team is made up of journalists and editors, who are constantly working to provide new and accurate stories to its readers
   
PLEASE, Donate To Assist FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG In Our Quest To Provide Unbiased News Coverage. 
   
Account Number:
4011061428
Account Name: 
First Zealmediacast Ltd
Bank: Fidelity Bank Plc
  
Your support allows us to continue delivering quality journalism that is accessible to audiences across the globe. Every contribution, however big or small, is valuable for our mission and readers.
 
You can reach us on: 08037184353

WhatsApp number: 08155786809

Email us with your story:
firstzealmediacast@gmail.com

Comments

Post a Comment

MOST VIEWED

Nigeria backs ANOCA rotation policy as Uganda lands 2031 African Games hosting rights

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye
By Maxwell Kumoye  Uganda's emergence as host of the 2031 African Games has been linked to the rotational hosting policy of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), a framework designed to ensure equitable distribution of the continent's biggest multi-sport event among Africa's regions. Investigations have revealed that the East African nation benefited significantly from the policy, which seeks to spread hosting opportunities across the continent rather than concentrating them in a few countries. The decision is also understood to have been aided by Nigeria's withdrawal from the race, leaving Uganda as the sole candidate for the prestigious event. For Nigeria, supporting the rotational arrangement aligns with the country's longstanding contribution to the growth of the African Games movement. The nation has already hosted the continental showpiece twice, first in Lagos in 1973 and again in Abuja in 2003, making it one of only a handful of c...
Post a Comment
Read more

Glazer family members studying Manchester United stake sale, Bloomberg News reports

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye
Some Glazer family members have been debating whether ‌to sell their stake in Manchester United FC (MANU.N), opens new tab after more than two decades ⁠of ownership, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Several stakeholders in the Glazer family have been studying ‌the ⁠possibility of divesting part or all of their holdings in the English ⁠Premier League football club, according to the report. — Reuters 
Post a Comment
Read more

Protests and last-minute construction work disrupt Mexico City ahead of World Cup

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye
  Eight days before Mexico City kicks off the World Cup, mass protests by teachers and retired judges, road closures and last-minute construction work caused chaos in the capital on Wednesday for millions of residents who face long delays and complex rerouting of their daily commutes. On June 11, Mexico City will host the inaugural World Cup match between ‌Mexico and South Africa at Azteca stadium in the capital. With Mexico in the global spotlight, teachers and other groups have staged marches and blocked major avenues. They have said their protests, which are unrelated to the tournament, could intensify unless President Claudia Sheinbaum's government addresses their demands. The CNTE, a dissident wing of the national teachers' union, has threatened mass demonstrations at the opening of the World Cup in official statements shared on social media. The union is demanding the government fulfill a campaign pledge to repeal a 2007 law that overhauled the pension and ⁠social securit...
Post a Comment
Read more

Iran to play World Cup warm-up behind closed doors, head to Mexico on Saturday

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye
  Iran will play their final World Cup warm-up behind closed doors in Turkey on Thursday before departing for their tournament base in Mexico on Saturday, the Iranian FA (FFIRI) said on Wednesday. Although it was one of the first teams to ‌qualify, Iran's participation in the World Cup has been in doubt since the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on the Islamic Republic in late February. The squad have played three friendlies in two training camps in Antalya since the start of the war - losing to Nigeria and beating Costa Rica and Gambia - and on Thursday will face Mali ⁠in the Turkish sea resort. "Considering the importance of the Iranian national football team's friendly match against Mali, and in line with the tactical objectives of Iran's head coach, tomorrow's match against Mali will be held behind closed doors and without media attendance," FFIRI said in a statement. The FFIRI persuaded FIFA to allow the team to swap its tournament base from Tucson, A...
Post a Comment
Read more