Enugu State has unveiled the official mascot for the 2026 National Sports Festival as preparations intensify for the Coal City Games scheduled for November 27 to December 11.
The mascot, named Odum Eze, Lion King, was unveiled at the International Conference Centre in Enugu.
Governor Peter Mbah, represented by Deputy Governor Ifeanyi Ossai, said the lion was selected because it symbolized strength, courage, leadership and discipline.
He said those qualities should also define the athletes and organization of the festival.
Mbah said the state wanted to host a competition that met international standards in integrity, facilities and overall delivery.
He also used the occasion to call for renewed emphasis on school sports and grassroots talent development.
The governor said Nigeria had lost some of its former international sporting strength and needed a stronger system for identifying and developing young athletes.
National Sports Commission Director General Bukola Olapade said inspections showed Enugu was making significant progress toward hosting the games.
He said some facilities, including the swimming pool and indoor sports hall, still required finishing work but expressed confidence they would be ready before competition began.
Olapade also said the Federal Government had decided to support host states with sports infrastructure rather than leaving the entire burden to state governments.
The NSC expects the Enugu edition to attract significant sponsorship and described it as potentially the most highly sponsored National Sports Festival to date.
Enugu Youth and Sports Commissioner Lloyd Ekweremadu said work at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, the Games Village in Awgu and other sites reflected the state’s ambition to set new organizational and infrastructure records.
Premium Trust Bank, the official sponsor, reaffirmed its support for the event.
The festival will bring athletes from across Nigeria to compete in multiple sports and will provide a major test of Enugu’s new sports infrastructure and event management capacity.
