UNICAL to host 2026 NUGA Games, 35 years after last edition
The University of Calabar has been officially named the host of the 2026 Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) Games, marking the return of the country’s premier university sports festival to Calabar after 35 years. The announcement was made by Dr. Michael Ajibua, Acting President of NUGA, alongside Mr. Yunusa Bazza, Secretary-General, and Prof. Musa Yakasai, […]
Basketballers in action during a recent NUGA
The University of Calabar has been officially named the host of the 2026 Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) Games, marking the return of the country’s premier university sports festival to Calabar after 35 years.
The announcement was made by Dr. Michael Ajibua, Acting President of NUGA, alongside Mr. Yunusa Bazza, Secretary-General, and Prof. Musa Yakasai, Chairman of the Technical Committee.
The formal presentation of the hosting rights took place at the office of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, in the presence of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) led by Papa Enamhe and other key stakeholders.
Before the official declaration, the NUGA delegation conducted a comprehensive inspection tour of proposed venues, including the U.J. Esuene Sports Complex, St. Patrick’s College, and several facilities within the University of Calabar campus such as the Abraham Ordia Stadium, tennis and basketball courts, multipurpose halls, and swimming pool.
One of the highlights of the tour was the unveiling of the university’s newly constructed tennis court, which Dr. Ajibua described as “the best in any Nigerian university.” He praised the university’s preparedness, noting that “the institution already has world-class facilities capable of hosting the Games within six months.”
Prof. Yakasai echoed this confidence, revealing that “90 per cent of the facilities are already in place,” and expressed optimism that UNICAL would deliver “the best NUGA Games in history,” just as it did in 1990.
The delegation also paid a courtesy visit to the Cross River State Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Agnes Atsu, who pledged the state government’s full support under Governor Bassey Otu. She described the return of the Games as “a welcome innovation aligned with the administration’s people-focused agenda.”
In her remarks, an elated Prof. Obi thanked NUGA for the trust reposed in the institution, assuring that the University of Calabar would continue upgrading its facilities to international standards. She promised that “the 2026 Games will exceed expectations and reaffirm UNICAL’s place in Nigerian university sports history.”