Bayelsa State is targeting its first overall title at the 2026 National Sports Festival in Enugu, with Commissioner for Sports Daniel Igali expressing confidence in the state’s medal prospects while raising concerns over preparations for the competition.

Igali, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, said Bayelsa would arrive in Enugu determined to claim the title after finishing among the country’s leading sporting states in the last three editions of the festival.

However, in an exclusive interview with First Zealmediacast Blog, the former wrestler described the build-up to this year’s competition as unusual, particularly because athlete registration and other administrative processes were taking place later than expected.

“Ordinarily, processes such as athlete registration and other similar things are done like two months before the festival, but this time, many of these activities are taking place right about now, barely a month before the festival,” Igali said.

He also questioned the readiness of the host state, Enugu, noting that the timing of facility inspections had added to the uncertainty surrounding preparations.

“Even the readiness of the host state Enugu is yet to be fully ascertained, although facility inspections I think just took place a couple of days ago,” he added.

Bayelsa steps up National Sports Festival preparations

Despite the concerns, Igali maintained that Bayelsa had anticipated some of the challenges and continued working to prepare its athletes and technical team for the Games.

He acknowledged that the uncertainty surrounding the build-up could affect participating states but insisted that Bayelsa remained well positioned to compete for the overall title.

“Naturally, because of the uncertainties that has affected the normal preparatory process, most states may not be having it easy, but I must tell you that Bayelsa has anticipated some of these things and we’ve been getting our people, our teams, and our athletes prepared,” he stated.

The commissioner also commended Governor Douye Diri for providing the financial resources and sustained support needed to strengthen the state’s investment in sports development.

He extended his appreciation to Deputy Governor Peter Akpe, who oversees sports in Bayelsa, for his involvement in ensuring that the contingent’s preparations remain on course.

“You know the Deputy Governor is in charge of sports in Bayelsa, His Excellency Senator Dr. Peter Akpe, who has been extremely supportive of our preparations,” Igali said.

Igali further acknowledged the contributions of the permanent secretary, director of sports, Sports Council leadership, coaches and other technical personnel involved in preparing the state’s contingent.

Igali confident in Bayelsa’s medal prospects

Igali identified Bayelsa’s strength across several sporting disciplines as one of its major advantages ahead of the festival.

According to him, the state has averaged gold medals in approximately 20 different sports at each of the last three editions of the National Sports Festival.

“One of Team Bayelsa‘s strongest strengths is the remarkable depth of our sports program,” he said.

He explained that the state’s strategy in Enugu would be to consolidate its traditional strengths while maximising opportunities to win medals in other events.

The commissioner also stressed that every athlete would have an important role to play, regardless of whether they compete in an established discipline or a sport in which Bayelsa is still developing.

The state’s title ambition comes as the National Sports Commission and Enugu’s Local Organising Committee continue preparations for the 23rd edition of the National Sports Festival.

The Games are scheduled to begin on November 28, 2026, with about 12,000 athletes and officials expected to participate.

Despite the anticipated competition from other states, Igali insisted that Bayelsa would not travel to Enugu merely to participate but would challenge for the overall title.

“We’re going to Enugu with humility, confidence, and a determination to improve on our previous performances,” he said.

“We respect every competing state, but we are certainly not going there just to participate. We’re going there to compete for the title and make Bayelsa proud.”

Bayelsa will hope to turn its preparations, government support and strength across multiple sporting disciplines into an overall title-winning campaign in Enugu.

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Nigeria has secured three individual nominations for the women’s categories of the 2026 CAF Awards, with Oluwakemi Adegbuyi, Christiana Uzoma and Seimeyeha Janet Akekoromowei shortlisted for honours. The Super Falcons have also been nominated for the Women’s National Team of the Year award.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) released the nominees for the women’s categories on Thursday ahead of the awards ceremony scheduled to hold in Lagos on December 7.

The nominations recognise the performances of African players and national teams during the assessment period, with three Nigerians featuring across two categories.

Adegbuyi earns Young Player of the Year nomination

Oluwakemi Adegbuyi has been shortlisted for the CAF Women’s Young Player of the Year award following an impressive season for club and country.

The youngster earned recognition for her performances with Robo Queens and Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, establishing herself as one of the country’s emerging talents.

Adegbuyi was named Player of the Tournament for FC Robo Queens at the 2026 Nigeria Women‘s Football League (NWFL) campaign. She also represented Edo Queens during the WAFU B Women’s Champions League qualifiers.

Her performances at the 2026 WAFU B U-17 Girls Cup further strengthened her profile. She was named Player of the Tournament after scoring four goals and providing several assists as Nigeria won all five matches to claim the title.

Adegbuyi also scored three goals during the African qualifying series for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, helping Nigeria secure a place at the global competition.

She is currently representing the Flamingos at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, where she has scored twice. She was also named Player of the Match against Puerto Rico as Nigeria recorded their first victory of the tournament.

The forward had previously received a call-up to the Super Falcons for their Olympic qualifying fixtures but was unable to feature because the matches coincided with the U-17 World Cup.

Akekoromowei joins Adegbuyi on Young Player shortlist

Nigeria’s Seimeyeha Janet Akekoromowei has also been nominated for the Women’s Young Player of the Year award.

Before her move to Benfica, the forward enjoyed an outstanding 2024/25 NWFL season with Nasarawa Amazons, scoring 13 goals in 19 appearances.

She finished as the league’s second-highest goalscorer and was named Most Valuable Player.

Akekoromowei also impressed for the Falconets at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, scoring twice in four appearances.

One of her standout performances came in Nigeria’s 3-0 victory over England in the Round of 16, where she scored a spectacular goal and was named the official Visa Player of the Match.

Her performances also earned her an opportunity with the senior national team. She made her Super Falcons debut in a friendly against Algeria before featuring in Nigeria’s Olympic qualifying victory over Comoros.

Adegbuyi and Akekoromowei will compete against young players from Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Morocco, Senegal and Tanzania.

Uzoma nominated for Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year

Christiana Uzoma has been shortlisted for the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award after an impressive year with Edo Queens and Nigeria’s U-20 women’s team.

The goalkeeper was among the Falconets’ key performers at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, producing important saves as Nigeria progressed in the competition.

During the Round of 16 encounter against England, Uzoma saved a crucial penalty to help the Falconets preserve their advantage in the knockout fixture.

Her performances have further highlighted her development as one of Nigeria’s emerging goalkeeping talents, having progressed through the country’s women’s national teams.

Uzoma’s nomination places her alongside contenders from Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Zambia.

Super Falcons receive team nomination

The Super Falcons have also been shortlisted for the Women’s National Team of the Year award at the 2026 CAF Awards.

The nomination comes despite Nigeria missing out on the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title and failing to secure qualification for the World Cup.

The 10-time African champions have won the Women’s National Team of the Year award seven times, in 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

They are nominated alongside Algeria, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Morocco and South Africa.

However, no Nigerian player made the final shortlist for the prestigious Women’s Player of the Year category.

The winners will be announced at the 2026 CAF Awards ceremony on Monday, December 7, at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in Lagos, Nigeria.

The post CAF Awards 2026: Adegbuyi, Uzoma and Akekoromowei earn nominations appeared first on Made In Africa Sport.

Nigerian footballers enjoyed a productive weekend across Europe, with Victor Boniface returning to action for Bayer Leverkusen, Raphael Onyedika scoring his first competitive goal for Eintracht Frankfurt and several other forwards making important contributions for their clubs.

From established Super Eagles internationals to emerging talents, Nigerian players made their presence felt across different leagues, combining goals, assists and notable performances to keep themselves in contention for greater roles at club level and possible national-team recognition.

Boniface returns as Onyedika opens Frankfurt account

Victor Boniface marked his return to competitive action as Bayer Leverkusen came from two goals down to defeat FC Nürnberg 5-2 in the DFB-Pokal on October 28.

The striker was introduced in the 87th minute, making a brief appearance as Leverkusen completed an impressive comeback to progress to the next round.

Although he had limited time to influence the contest, his return represents an important step towards regaining match fitness and securing a more regular place in the team’s attack.

Raphael Onyedika, meanwhile, celebrated a personal milestone by scoring his first competitive goal for Eintracht Frankfurt in their 3-1 Bundesliga victory over Hamburg on Sunday.

The midfielder reacted quickest to a rebound in the 47th minute to restore Frankfurt’s lead, helping the hosts move towards securing all three points.

The goal marked a significant moment for Onyedika following his move from Club Brugge and provided an encouraging contribution to his new club’s campaign.

Mubarak and Ayaosi star in Slavia Prague rout

Suleiman Mubarak and Emmanuel Ayaosi were among the standout Nigerian performers as Slavia Prague recorded a commanding 5-0 away victory over Jablonec in the Czech First League on October 31.

Mubarak found the net twice, scoring in the 41st and 75th minutes, while Ayaosi added another goal in the 57th minute.

Ayaosi also provided the assist for Mubarak’s second goal, capping an impressive display from the Nigerian pair as Slavia secured a convincing victory.

Their contributions further highlighted the growing presence of Nigerian players in the Czech league and their influence on Slavia’s attacking performances.

Arokodare, Osimhen and Awoniyi find the net

Tolu Arokodare continued his scoring form by netting in the ninth minute to give Ajax a 1-0 victory over AZ Alkmaar in the Eredivisie on October 31.

His early effort proved decisive in a closely contested encounter, with Ajax holding on to their advantage despite pressure from the visitors.

Victor Osimhen also got on the scoresheet for Galatasaray in their 4-0 victory over Konyaspor on October 30. The striker’s contribution added to his importance in the Turkish side’s attacking set-up as they continued their league campaign.

Taiwo Awoniyi, meanwhile, reportedly opened his Premier League scoring account for Coventry City against Sunderland. The forward will be hoping to build on the breakthrough as he seeks to establish himself at his new club.

Umeh and Orban strengthen Nigeria’s attacking options

Emmanuel Umeh produced another impressive performance for FC Zürich, scoring twice in their entertaining 5-3 away victory over Young Boys.

The Nigerian forward’s brace underlined his growing influence in the attacking third and added to his claims for consideration in future Super Eagles selections.

Gift Orban also reportedly played a key role in Amedspor’s 5-1 victory over Eyüpspor, contributing a goal and an assist.

According to the supplied season statistics, Orban has now recorded nine goals and four assists in 10 appearances, figures that underline his contribution to Amedspor’s attack.

Prosper Obah earns Champions League opportunity

Nigerian winger Prosper Obah has also been included in Shakhtar Donetsk’s 2026/27 UEFA Champions League squad.

His inclusion presents an opportunity to feature in Europe’s premier club competition and gain valuable experience at the highest level of continental football.

For the young winger, the development represents another step in his career and offers a platform to showcase his ability on a bigger stage.

Nigerian stars keep national-team ambitions alive

The latest round of performances provided a mixture of encouraging developments for Nigerian football, from Boniface’s return to action and Onyedika’s first Frankfurt goal to the goalscoring contributions of established internationals and emerging prospects.

Mubarak, Ayaosi, Arokodare, Osimhen, Awoniyi, Umeh and Orban all made notable contributions for their respective clubs, reflecting the range of Nigerian talent currently featuring across European football.

With competition for places in the Super Eagles squad remaining strong, consistent performances at club level will be important for players seeking to strengthen their claims for international opportunities.

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