Athletes from all corners of Nigeria are gearing up to compete in 549 events for a total of 2,150 medals at the 22nd National Sports Festival, dubbed “Gateway Games Ogun 2024.” The multi-sport event will take place in Ogun State from May 16 to 30 and is set to be one of the most extensive editions in the history of the festival.
Often described as Nigeria’s Olympics, the festival will see the distribution of 626 gold, 626 silver, and 898 bronze medals. Over 15,000 athletes are expected to participate across a wide range of individual and team sports, reflecting the growing scale and inclusivity of the event.
Weightlifting is set to lead the medal haul with 180 medals on offer—60 each of gold, silver, and bronze. Other high-medal sports include kung fu (156 medals across 39 events), para athletics (150 medals across 50 events), athletics (129 medals), and swimming (123 medals).
The festival’s diversity is also reflected in other sports with growing popularity. Kickboxing and para table tennis will each offer 136 medals, while wrestling will present 120 medals across 30 events. Taekwondo and boxing will provide 84 and 80 medals, respectively, further contributing to the rich competitive landscape.
In a major stride for inclusivity, the festival will highlight para-sports such as para athletics and para table tennis. Para athletics alone will award 150 medals, showcasing Nigeria’s commitment to creating competitive opportunities for athletes with disabilities. Other inclusive events include wheelchair basketball (9 medals across 3 events), deaf athletics, and deaf table tennis (36 medals from 10 events combined).
Intellectual and board sports will also have a presence, with chess offering 48 medals and scrabble 36. Team sports such as football, basketball, hockey, and handball will each feature two events, with six medals up for grabs in each. Both indoor and beach volleyball are included in the programme, also offering six medals each.
A standout innovation at the Gateway Games is the introduction of the Invited Junior Athletes category. This new feature allows young and emerging athletes to compete alongside seasoned competitors, underlining the festival’s role in nurturing youth development and preparing future sports stars for national and international stages.
Preparations for the festival are well underway, with zonal eliminations for team sports already concluded. Various sub-committees have been established by the National Sports Commission to ensure the smooth execution of the event. In a symbolic gesture of unity and anticipation, President Bola Tinubu has initiated the national unity torch relay—representing the spirit of togetherness as the country counts down to its premier sports gathering.
