The 22nd National Sports Festival, also known as the Gateway Games Ogun 2024, has been rescheduled from January 12th to May 16th-30th, 2025.
This decision was made after a Joint Technical Meeting held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where it was deemed necessary to implement technical committee recommendations to ensure a world-class festival.
According to Thecla Opara, Secretary of the Main Organizing Committee, the postponement will allow for the implementation of several technical committee recommendations.
The joint committee also urged the Main Organizing Committee Secretariat to revise the Games timeline and disseminate the updated information to all relevant stakeholders.
Bukola Olopade, Director General of the National Sports Commission, explained that the Ogun state government and the Local Organizing Committee were initially against the postponement.
However, the Technical Committee and the Main Organizing Committee decided that it was necessary to push the date forward to ensure a successful event.
The technical committee chairman noted that the facilities on the ground needed upgrades to meet international standards.
The committee wants to ensure that the facilities are “peculiar and nearer to the Olympics” so that athletes can enjoy the event without any challenges.
The new dates for the festival are May 16-30, 2025, with the Zonal Eliminations for Team Sports scheduled to hold from February 23-28, 2025.