By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Warri
DELTA: The maiden edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF) has taken a significant step toward inclusivity and efficiency with the launch of an online registration portal for athletes across the nine participating states.
Enefiok Udo-Obong, Co-Chairman of the festival’s Technical Committee, said the move was aimed at simplifying the registration process and allowing more athletes to participate without logistical constraints.
“While athletes can still collect hard copy forms at designated points, we believe online registration offers a more convenient and accessible option,” Udo-Obong said after a recent Technical Committee meeting.
The online registration portal, https://nigerdeltasportfestival.com, is now live, enabling athletes from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers to sign up for the competition.
To accommodate the qualifying events for the National Sports Festival’s ball games, the local government and federal constituency trials have been rescheduled. The trials will now begin on February 25, followed by state-level competitions and closed camping.
Udo-Obong emphasized that the extension of the registration period would give all interested athletes sufficient time to complete the process and prepare for the competition.
Approximately 3,000 athletes will compete in 17 sporting events at the festival, which is sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The event is designed to discover and nurture young talents in the region, providing them with a platform to showcase their abilities and advance their sporting careers.
With this new development, organizers are optimistic that the festival will set a new standard for sports development in the Niger Delta, fostering regional unity and creating opportunities for young athletes to shine on the national and international stage.