A review of Nigeria’s 2026 budget by SaharaReporters has revealed that the National Sports Commission (NSC) allocated N2.1 billion for the “promotion and organisation of the National Sports Festival 2025 in Ogun State,” despite the event having already been held. The 2025 National Sports Festival took place in Ogun State between May 16 and May 30, 2025, and was formally declared open by Vice President Kashim Shettima, raising questions about the rationale for reintroducing the same expenditure in the 2026 fiscal plan.
Budget documents show that substantial public funds had already been committed to the festival by both the Federal Government and Ogun State. In the 2025 fiscal year, the then Federal Ministry of Sports Development budgeted N3 billion for the organisation of the 2025 festival in Ogun State. On its part, Ogun State spent billions of naira on the event, including allocations for personnel, overheads and capital expenditures across the 2024 and 2025 financial years. Meanwhile, Enugu State has been designated as the host of the 2026 National Sports Festival, with separate federal allocations already made for preparations in the state.
Reacting to the development, the Special Adviser to Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun on media and strategy, Kayode Ogunmade, said the state had no plans to host another National Sports Festival in 2026. He stressed that Ogun State could not host the event twice and dismissed claims that the state incurred debts from hosting the 2025 festival. Ogunmade said only the National Sports Commission could explain the N2.1 billion allocation, adding that while the commission might be planning other sporting activities in the state, he was not aware of any arrangement for Ogun State to host another National Sports Festival.