The Local Organising Committee of the first National Intermediate Games says EKO 2026 will push school sports forward across the country, not merely stage another short burst of medals. In a statement from Gbenga Omotoso, Chairman of the Media and Publicity sub-committee, the committee said the meet would open a lasting route for young athletes by tying classroom programmes, grassroots play and high-level competition more tightly together.
EKO 2026 will take place in Lagos from October 1 to October 15, with about 15,000 athletes expected from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Sam Egube, Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, chairs the LOC. Lekan Fatodu, Director-General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, and Mobolaji Ogunlende, Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, serve as co-chairmen.
Egube made clear the Games will not be treated as a one-off festival. He described EKO 2026 as a standing platform for finding talent, keeping watch over it and helping it grow. That, he said, is a pledge to human development and to a healthier sporting system. After the competition, athletes are to receive real incentives plus openings for support and training. As new schools go up, modern facilities are being built in as a matter of course so that promising youngsters can be coached inside school programmes rather than left to chance.
