Northern States threaten to boycott Coal City NSF over exclusion of team

By Daniel Ebi, Minna.

There are indications that Northern states may boycott the forthcoming National Sports Festival, scheduled for November 27, 2026, in Enugu, over the exclusion of team events from the games.

Chairman of the Niger State Sports Commission,  Abdul Danjuma Masu, disclosed this in an exclusive interview in Minna on Friday.

He explained that the decision of the host state, Enugu State, and the games’ franchise owners, the National Sports Commission, to reduce the number of events from forty to fifteen is “a recipe for disaster.”

“I don’t believe we are serious about sports development in this country. How can you reduce events from 40 to just 15 mere sporting events? While in the Olympics and Commonwealth Games they are doing everything possible to expand the scope of sporting events.”

He accused the organizers of deliberately scheming against Northern states, which are traditionally strong in team sports such as Handball, Basketball, Volleyball, Hockey, and baseball/softball.

According to him, the exclusion of those events has already robbed the forthcoming games of their glamour and denied thousands of athletes in those categories opportunities and livelihoods.

“Other states have reached out to me from the North, and some have forwarded protest letters to the organizers to restore team events or they are prepared to stay away from the Coal City games.”

He further claimed that states such as Delta State and Bayelsa State are also protesting, with some considering legal action.

“The National Sports Festival is our national Olympics. They should not mess it up for us.”

Masu noted that if Enugu State lacks the capacity to host the games properly, an alternative venue should be considered, or the hosting rights returned to Abuja.

He warned that failure to reverse the decision may compel various state sports commissions and ministries to downsize athletes involved in team events, thereby worsening unemployment and insecurity.

“There is no way I can in good conscience keep players in handball, basketball, hockey, and volleyball on the payroll when they would be of no use to me at any competition.”

Masu appealed to the relevant authorities to urgently review the number of approved events before it is too late.