The maiden edition of the National Intermediate Games, earlier scheduled to hold in Lagos from October 1 to 15, 2026, has been postponed to the first quarter of 2027 following concerns over the state of preparations.
The postponement represents a setback for the inaugural Games, coming despite earlier assurances from the Lagos State Government and the National Sports Commission (NSC) that the event would proceed as scheduled.
The NSC announced the development on Tuesday, saying the decision followed a comprehensive review of preparations by the Local Organising Committee (LOC), the Commission and an independent Quality Control and Assurance Specialist.
The review was conducted after a Joint Technical Meeting held from September 3 to 6, with assessments covering proposed venues, sporting events, technical requirements, rules and regulations, as well as other critical operational areas.
According to the NSC, the assessment established that the Games could technically proceed but concluded that the time remaining before the October 1 opening date was insufficient to deliver an inaugural edition to the required world-class standard.
“The postponement is intended to safeguard the quality, credibility and long-term success of the National Intermediate Games,” the Commission said in a statement signed by Kola Daniel, Special Adviser on Media to the NSC Director General.
The Games are designed to establish an operational benchmark for future editions, making the quality of the inaugural event particularly important to the organisers.
Lagos State has reaffirmed its commitment to hosting the Games and will continue preparations in collaboration with the NSC and other stakeholders while the LOC works towards fixing a new date in the first quarter of 2027.
Despite the postponement, the NSC said it would continue with elements of its Games programme, including accreditation, zonal elimination for team sports and other technical and operational activities within its immediate purview.
The new date for the Games will be finalised and announced by the LOC in due course.
