The newly appointed Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has revealed that the 2024 Gateway Games, the 22nd National Sports Festival, will welcome between 12,000 to 15,000 athletes and sports officials. The event is scheduled to take place in Ogun State in early January 2025.
Speaking after a meeting with Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and Premium Trust Bank CEO Emmanuel Emefienim in Abeokuta, Olopade outlined the preparations being made to ensure the festival surpasses previous editions.
The Local Organizing Committee (LOC), chaired by Olopade, is working on creating an Olympic-standard Games Village to house all participants in one location for the first time in the festival’s history. He praised Governor Abiodun’s commitment to legacy projects, highlighting upgrades to sports facilities like the MKO Abiola Stadium, Ijeja Sports Centre, and the Remo Stars Stadium.
“My biggest joy is that when you walk into the MKO Abiola Stadium, you will know that in the next 20 to 30 years, children of Ogun State, Nigeria, and the world will be able to exhibit their God-given talents in the world-class facilities at the stadium,” Olopade said.
To ensure the health and safety of athletes, a digitalized feeding and volunteer system will be implemented, alongside scientific testing of meals. Accredited journalists, numbering approximately 200, will also be housed and provided with meals to support seamless media coverage of the festival.
Transportation clusters have been organized to shuttle athletes to venues across Babcock, Sagamu, Ikenne, and Abeokuta, ensuring efficient logistics.
Commissioner for Sports Development Wasiu Isiaka assured Nigerians that preparations are in high gear, emphasizing the LOC’s dedication to delivering the best festival in the country’s history. Unlike the 2006 edition, where swimming events were held in hotel pools, the 2024 Gateway Games will fully utilize upgraded state facilities.
The festival is set to leave a lasting legacy in Ogun State, further cementing its role as a hub for sports development in Nigeria.
