Bayelsa State Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Honourable Daniel Igali, has announced that Nigeria’s most modern stadium currently under construction in the state will be completed within the next 20 months.
The ambitious ₦95 billion project is set to transform the region’s sporting infrastructure and position Bayelsa as a serious contender to host major national and continental events.
In exclusive chat with Athletic NG and Prime Sports Radio Enugu during at the 22nd National Sports Festival (Gateway Games 2024) in Ogun State, Igali confirmed that Bayelsa plans to bid officially to host the 2028 edition of the biennial event once the stadium is completed.
“We are building the most modern stadium in Nigeria at the cost of ₦95 billion, which will be completed in 20 months,” Igali stated.
“We intend to host the 2028 National Sports Festival. That shows you a state that is intentional, focused, prepared, and ready to take over sports in Nigeria.”
Beyond the flagship stadium project, Bayelsa is witnessing a rapid development of state-of-the-art sports facilities. Recently, the state commissioned an ultra-modern tennis complex and unveiled a world-class table tennis facility, aptly named “The Coastal Fortress.”
The Coastal Fortress was built under the leadership of Ama-Ebi Ebikpolade Stow, Chairman of the Bayelsa State Table Tennis Association, with the aim of offering elite training opportunities to players preparing for national and international tournaments.
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Igali credited the visionary leadership of Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri—himself a former Sports Commissioner for spearheading the state’s investment in sports development.
Bayelsa Queens: Champions Again
In addition to its infrastructural strides, Bayelsa is also celebrating athletic success on the pitch. The state’s women’s football team, Bayelsa Queens, were recently crowned champions of the Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL) Premiership Super Six, held in Ikenne, Ogun State.
“We are very excited. This is the second time we’ve won the league in five years,” said Igali. “There’s still a lot of work to do. The last time we played in the CAF Women’s Champions League, we took bronze. Now we want to go further and perform even better on the continent.”
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As President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Igali also highlighted the dominance of Bayelsa and Nigeria in the sport. At the recently concluded African Games, Nigeria’s wrestling contingent secured 10 medals, with the women’s team finishing first for the 14th consecutive time.
“So much is happening in Bayelsa,” Igali said. “We’re making our mark not just at the state level but nationally. Our female wrestlers took first place once again—for the 14th time—at the African Games. That level of consistency speaks volumes.”
At the inaugural Niger Delta Sports Festival, Bayelsa emerged as overall champions, collecting 86 medals, including 42 golds, 29 silvers, and 15 bronzes, surpassing traditional powerhouses Delta and Edo.
