Abia State Government says it is laying a solid foundation to produce world-class athletes, expressing confidence that the State will soon earn global recognition as a hub for sports excellence.
The Commissioner for Youth and Sports development, Mr Nwobilor Ananaba made this known while briefing journalists in Umuahia ahead of the Second Edition of the Governor’s Secondary Schools Unity Games, scheduled to commence on Tuesday, 29th July – 1st August 2025.
Ananaba disclosed that the Unity Games, an initiative of the administration of Governor Alex Otti, is part of the State Government’s strategy to revitalise grassroots sports development and nurture young talents from an early age.
“We now have a solid structure for identifying, nurturing, and developing young athletes to become stars that will represent Abia State at national and international levels.
“In line with the Governor’s mandate, we began by reintroducing Physical Education as a two-hour programme in our primary and secondary schools.
“We also revived inter-house and inter-school sports to expose our young stars to both familiar and lesser-known sporting disciplines”, the Commissioner said.
He described the First Edition of the Governor’s Secondary Schools Unity Games, which commenced in April 2024, as a resounding success adding that talents discovered during the competition won a total of 31 medals, including 7 gold, 12 silver and 12 bronze medals at the just concluded National Sports Festival in Ogun State.
Ananaba further disclosed that some of the athletes had already secured international exposure and scholarship opportunities.
“Last year, six footballers were identified during a talent hunt organised in partnership with Hungarian scouts. Three of them are still playing in Hungary.
“One female player from Abia Angels is now playing and studying on scholarship in the United States. A young player has also been invited by Barcelona FC’s second-tier club for trials, and we have one of our coaches set to undergo training in Barcelona to become a scout”, he said.
The Commissioner revealed that 28 different sports will feature in this year’s Games, including Taekwondo, Darts, Para-sports, Football, and Shooting, a sport in which Abia won two silver and two bronze medals at the last National Sports Festival.
Contributing, the State Director of Sports, Comrade Obioma George, revealed that while organisers initially projected about 1,000 participants for the 2025 edition, over 780 had already registered via the state’s digital portal, with numbers expected to rise before the official kick-off.
Director of Sports Abia State, Comrade Obioma George
Comrade Georgie disclosed that several athletes discovered through the Unity Games had already begun to make their mark nationally and internationally.
“Some of the identified junior athletes were selected to represent Nigeria, not just Abia, at the National Sports Festival. As I speak, some of them are on their way to Algeria for the African Secondary School Games”, Comrade George further revealed.
He lauded Governor Otti for his continued support to sports development in the State and expressed optimism that the investments being made in the sector would soon yield internationally recognised champions.
“With the structures we are building and the support we have, it’s only a matter of time before Abia becomes a global name in sports”, he stated .
