After 35 long years, the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) is returning to the city of Calabar as the University of Calabar (UNICAL) has officially been announced as the host of the 2026 NUGA Games. This historic milestone brings one of Nigeria’s most celebrated sporting festivals back to the ancient city.
The pronouncement was made by Dr. Michael A. Ajibua, Acting President of NUGA, accompanied by Mr. Yunusa M. Bazza, Secretary-General, and Prof. Musa G. Yakasai, Chairman Technical. The announcement was formally presented to the Vice Chancellor of UNICAL, Prof. Florence Obi, in her office, with Local organizing committee led by Papa Dorn cklaimz Enamhe who briefed the vice chancellor and management of the university of Calabar, MediaVision Limited, Unical Radio, NaijablaseTv and other key stakeholders in attendance.
Ahead of the official declaration, the NUGA delegation conducted a comprehensive tour of proposed venues, including the U.J. Esuene Sports Complex, where they inspected the basketball court, swimming pool, table tennis and squash courts, as well as the stadium pitch.
They also visited St. Patrick’s College before concluding with a detailed assessment of the Abraham Ordia Stadium, tennis and basketball courts, multipurpose halls, and other facilities within UNICAL’s campus.
One of the highlights of the tour was UNICAL’s newly built tennis court, hailed by Dr. Ajibua as “the best in any Nigerian university.” He praised the university’s readiness, stressing that the institution already has world-class facilities capable of hosting the Games within six months.
Prof. Yakasai echoed this sentiment, affirming that 90% of the facilities are already in place and emphasizing that UNICAL is poised to host 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 full support on behalf of the state government under Governor Bassey Otu. She described the development as a welcome innovation aligned with the administration’s people-focused agenda.
In her remarks, an elated Prof. Florence Obi expressed gratitude to NUGA for entrusting UNICAL with the hosting rights. She assured that the university would continue upgrading its facilities to international standards, promising that the 2026 Games will exceed expectations.
The Executive Secretary of UNICAL NUGA 2026 LOC,Papa Dorn Cklaimz Enamhe lauded the Vice Chancellor’s determination and persistence in securing the hosting rights, assuring that the Calabar edition will be the most memorable NUGA Games ever held.
Other major stakeholders like Dr. Ikechukwu Henry, CEO of Hogis Hotels, MD MediaVision, also celebrated the achievement, describing it as a collective victory for the university community and the people of Cross River State.
With this landmark announcement, all eyes now turn to Calabar in 2026, where UNICAL is set to host thousands of student-athletes, coaches, and sports enthusiasts from across Nigeria. The NUGA Games 2026 promises not just competition, but a grand celebration of youth, talent, culture, and the unifying spirit of sports.
