The National Sports Commission has announced that Nigerian athletes from the diaspora will make their debut at the inaugural National Intermediate Games in Lagos in 2026, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The team, known as Invited Diaspora Athletes, will compete as the 38th state at the multi-sport event, marking a historic development in Nigerian sports.
Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, highlighted the rapid progress of the Diaspora Discovery Athletes Committee, chaired by Tunde Adelakun, which has attracted significant interest from Nigerians abroad.
“We are very excited about this initiative because of the immediate and futuristic impact it will have on our sports development. At the Intermediate Games in Lagos, we will be having about 50 athletes that will be coming from the Diaspora, competing for IDA,” he said.
Olopade added that the initiative is expected to enhance Nigeria’s competitive edge at major international competitions.
The Intermediate Games, part of the NSC’s Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy, aim to identify, monitor, and develop talent among athletes aged 16 to 19.
The event is designed to bridge the gap between grassroots competitions and elite-level sports, providing a structured pathway for young athletes transitioning from youth competitions such as the National Youth Games to senior events like the National Sports Festival.
Lagos State will host the first edition and the state government has entered partnership with Yaba College of Technology, which will provide facilities and operational support for the athletes.
In the NSC statement, Adelakun confirmed that preparations for the team are already underway.
“We are already working on having a camp site here in Europe where we will have all the Invited Diaspora Athletes, from where we will pick the team for the Intermediate Games and I must tell you, the athletes are already looking forward to this because it has never happened in the history of our country,” he said.
The IDA’s participation follows the success of the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) at the 22nd National Sports Festival in Ogun State, where they competed as the 37th state.
By: Olamide Abe
