At least 53 polytechnics have registered for the 22nd edition of the Nigeria Polytechnic Games (NIPOGA), set to commence on Saturday, 5th April, at the Federal Polytechnic in Offa, Kwara State.

Dr. Oluwakemi Ogungbamigbe, Chair of the Media and Publicity Committee, confirmed in a statement on Thursday that the event will span eight days, running through 12th April. The games will feature a blend of sporting competitions, cultural exchanges, and economic activities.

Teams from participating institutions will compete across 12 disciplines, including athletics, football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, chess, scrabble, handball, badminton, table tennis, judo, and taekwondo.

“The Secretary General of Nigeria Polytechnics Games Association (NIPOGA), Mallam Abubakar Abdullahi, said 53 Polytechnics with about 4000 athletes had fully registered for the games as of the time of filing this report.

“Some contingents have arrived from several states, including polytechnics from Delta, Taraba, Bauchi, Rivers, Osun, and Ekiti State, amongst others, while other contingents were on their way.

“All things have been put in place to ensure a hitch-free NIPOGA,” he stated.

In an earlier press conference declaring the hosting of the games and the level of preparedness, the Rector, Dr. Kadiri Kamoru, affirmed that the 22nd edition of NIPOGA would go beyond winning medals to foster friendship, inclusiveness and social cohesion among students across the country.

“This tournament will serve as a springboard for talent identification and international sports participation. If we get it right at this level, we will be securing the future of Nigerian sports,” he said.

“The 22nd edition of the NIPOGA Games has thus been tagged with the theme ‘Ijakadi 2024’. This phrase, ‘IJAKADI’, is deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Offa, a historic town in Kwara State and the host community for the games.

“Offa is renowned for its traditional Ijakadi festival, a wrestling event that embodies equality, unity, and justice. Similarly, the Nipoga Games will unite polytechnic students from diverse backgrounds, promoting competition on an equal footing.

The Ijakadi festival’s emphasis on fairness and togetherness makes it an ideal theme for this milestone edition of the games”, Kadiri said.