Preparations for the 23rd National Sports Festival—tagged the “Coal City Games, Enugu 2026″—are ramping up as the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Enugu State Government gear up for a major inspection exercise.
Led by Hon. Bukola Olopade, Director-General of the NSC and Chairman of the Main Organising Committee (MOC), a delegation will arrive in Enugu on August 25, 2026. Over the following two days, August 26 and 27, the committee will conduct a thorough review of competition and training venues, accommodation, transit networks, and key operational infrastructure.
The three-day exercise will wrap up on August 28 with a milestone event: the Local Organising Committee (LOC) will officially reveal the Coal City Games logo and mascot.
This joint assessment aims to evaluate progress, address potential bottlenecks, and ensure all facilities hit international standards well ahead of deadlines. Expressing strong confidence in the partnership, the NSC emphasized that close coordination between the MOC and LOC is key to delivering a world-class edition of Nigeria’s flagship multi-sport tournament.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.
In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
