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Edo Wins 52 Gold Medals to Clinch Overall Title as NSC DG Closes 2026 Niger Delta Games
Team Edo has been crowned overall champions of the second edition of the Niger Delta Games, following a dominant display on home soil in Benin City that saw the host state top the final medal table and end a 24-year wait for regional supremacy.
In a tightly contested championship that went down to the final day, Edo finished first with an impressive haul of 52 gold, 34 silver and 25 bronze medals, accumulating a total of 111 medals to edge past Delta and Bayelsa States.
Delta State secured second position with 39 gold, 29 silver and 34 bronze medals (102 total), while defending champions Bayelsa settled for third with 25 gold, 24 silver and 26 bronze medals.
Akwa Ibom placed fourth with 16 gold medals among 55 total medals, Abia finished fifth with 45 medals, Cross River sixth with 38 medals, Ondo seventh with 34 medals, Rivers eighth with 44 medals but fewer gold, and Imo rounded off the standings in ninth place with 31 medals.
The victory represents a historic milestone for Edo, dethroning Bayelsa and reaffirming the state’s growing reputation as a powerhouse in Nigerian sports.
Reacting to the achievement, the Executive Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele, through his Media Officer, Edoko Wilson Edoko, described the triumph as a defining moment in the state’s sporting history.
He dedicated the success to the Executive Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa.
“This victory belongs to His Excellency, our dynamic and sports-loving Governor,” Enabulele said. “From the very beginning, he made it clear that Edo would not only host but compete to win. He provided the vision, resources and enabling environment that empowered our athletes to perform at their very best.”
He attributed the success to deliberate investment in sports development, improved welfare for athletes and coaches, and strategic planning, noting that breaking a 24-year jinx was the result of intentional leadership, disciplined preparation and athlete resilience.
Enabulele also praised the athletes, coaches, technical crew and support staff for their unity and determination throughout the competition, describing the Games as both a sporting contest and a platform for youth engagement and regional unity.
“The Niger Delta Games have once again shown that sports remain a powerful tool for unity, peace and development. Edo will not rest on this achievement; we are committed to building sustainable structures for continued dominance,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, officially declared the Games closed at a colourful ceremony on Thursday evening in Benin City.
Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Olopade explained the broader value of sports beyond winning medals, describing the festival as a catalyst for youth empowerment, social integration and economic growth.
“Sports is not just about podium placement or winning,” he said.
“It is about community engagement, economic empowerment and the feel-good atmosphere that unites our people. All of these are fully entrenched in the Niger Delta Games.”
He assured that the Commission would continue to support the initiative, commending the organizers for their stance against age cheating and drug use, and calling on governors of the Niger Delta states to work closely with the Niger Delta Development Commission to ensure the sustainability of the Games.
Olopade noted that data from sporting events across the country show clear economic benefits, including job creation, support for small businesses and increased visibility for host cities.
“The true winners of these Games are the young people of the Niger Delta,” he concluded, as the curtain fell on what has been widely hailed as a successful and competitive second edition.
The 2026 Niger Delta Games featured over 3,000 athletes from the nine Niger Delta states competing in 17 sporting events, setting a new benchmark for regional sports festivals in Nigeria.
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