Enugu 2026 mascot unveiled as Olopade promises biggest national sports festival ever

The official mascot and logo of the 23rd National Sports Festival, dubbed “Coal City Games, Enugu 2026”, were unveiled in Enugu, with the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, promising that the Games will be the largest and most sponsored edition in the history of the Festival.

The mascot was unveiled on Friday by the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, who represented Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah at the ceremony.

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The event marked a major milestone in the preparations for the National Sports Festival, scheduled to be held in Enugu from November 27 to December 11, 2026.

Olopade, who is also the Chairman of the Main Organizing Committee of the Games, said the unveiling of the mascot and logo was an important stage in the preparation of the Festival because it would help generate awareness, enthusiasm and anticipation at the national level.

He said the mascot would become a symbol through which the message and spirit of the Coal City Games would be carried from Enugu to all parts of Nigeria.

According to him, the National Sports Festival should belong to all Nigerians and should not be permanently associated with any particular region of the country.

Olopade said that after 28 years, it was time to demonstrate that the Festival could move across the country and give different states the opportunity to showcase their sports facilities, talents and cultural heritage.

He said Enugu 2026 was therefore designed to demonstrate that the National Sports Festival was a truly national event capable of uniting Nigerians through sports.

The NSC Director General said hosting the Games in Enugu was particularly important to him because the state is his home state.

“For me personally, as the Director-General now, it means a lot that we have brought back the National Sports Festival to my home state, Enugu State,” he said.

Olopade recalled that before becoming Director General of the NSC, he was involved in sports management and participated in efforts to encourage states to bid for the hosting rights of the National Sports Festival.

He said the successful Enugu bid therefore represented an important personal and professional milestone for him.

The NSC boss said the Commission was not only focused on delivering a successful Festival, but was also determined to ensure that the Games left a lasting legacy in sporting infrastructure and development.

He revealed that work was being carried out on several facilities, including the swimming pool and sports halls, as part of preparations for the Games.

Olopade said the Commission was working closely with the Enugu State Government and other stakeholders to ensure that the necessary facilities were completed ahead of the Festival.

“Our ambition is clear: to deliver the most organised, most competitive and most memorable National Sports Festival ever held,” he said.

He expressed confidence in the continued support of the Federal Government, noting that the Festival provided an important platform to showcase Nigeria’s sporting talents and facilities.

Olopade commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support for sports development and commended Governor Peter Mbah for his commitment to the successful hosting of the Games.

He also recognized the contributions of the members of the Main Organizing Committee, the Local Organizing Committee, directors and staff of the National Sports Commission, as well as other actors involved in the preparations.

The CEO particularly expressed his gratitude to Premium Trust Bank, the main sponsor of the Festival, and other corporate partners for their support.

He described the 2026 edition as the largest and most sponsored National Sports Festival in history, and said the growing participation of the private sector was an indication of the growing confidence in sport as a vehicle for youth development and national transformation.

Olopade said the contribution of Premium Trust Bank and other sponsors would help strengthen the Games and create greater opportunities for young Nigerians.

He highlighted that the success of the Festival will depend on the collective efforts of the Federal Government, the host state, sponsors, organizers and other stakeholders.

The Deputy Governor, Ossai, who represented Governor Mbah, formally unveiled the mascot and logo, further indicating the readiness of Enugu State to host athletes and officials from across the country.

The 23rd National Sports Festival will be historic for Enugu State as it will be the first time the state will host the National Sports Festival.

With the unveiling of the mascot and logo, the Coal City Games have entered another critical phase, with organizers expected to ramp up preparations around sporting facilities, accommodation, transportation, security and other logistics ahead of the opening.

The Festival is expected to bring together athletes from across Nigeria in a celebration of sport, youth, culture and national unity, while providing an important platform to discover and nurture the next generation of Nigerian sporting talent.