*See Final Medals Table Below
There was a major upset on Thursday, February 26, 2026, as Team Edo came tops at the second edition of the Niger Delta Sports Festival held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, Edo State, displacing Team Bayelsa, winner of last year’s maiden edition of the games.
Edo topped the medals table with an impressive 111 medals, comprising 52 gold, 34 silver, and 25 bronze, while Delta State, came second with 102 medals, made up of 39 gold, 29 silver, and 34 bronze medals.
Team Bayelsa, the defending champion, trailed behind in the third place with 25 gold, 24 silver, and 26 bronze medals, while Akwa Ibom, Abia, Cross River, Ondo, Rivers, and Imo states finished 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th respectively.
Newsmata.com.ng recalls that Team Bayelsa, contrary to expectations, walked away with the trophy at the premier edition held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital in 2025, leaving Delta and Edo States, the traditional powerhouses dazed.
Though Delta State garnered the highest number of medals, at 99, it however fell short of the winning Team Bayelsa’s number of gold medals by just one on the overall medals table – 43 to 42.
While Bayelsa coasted to victory with 86 medals – 42 gold, 29 silver, and 15 bronze medals, Delta State, finished with 41 gold, 26 silver, and 32 bronze medals.
Edo State secured third place with 89 medals – 23 gold, 35 silver, and 31 bronze medals, while Rivers State came fourth with 63 medals – 21 gold, 16 silver, and 26 bronze medals. Ondo State came fifth with 43 medals, while hosts state, Akwa Ibom came a distant sixth with 37, Abia seventh with 32, Imo eighth with 42, and Cross River, at the bottom of the table with 31 medals.
Even before the final four relay races on the final day were determine, Edo, the host state, had already been assured of first place with 52 gold, 34 silver and 25 gold medals.
Team Delta dominated the relays, winning three out of the four events. The second-place team took gold in the 4x100m for men and women as well as the 4x400m women with Akwa Ibom State taking the 4x400m men.
In swimming, Team Edo athletes broke a 24-year medal drought, delivering a series of remarkable podium finishes. Peremobere Joy triumphed in the 200m Individual Female event, while Lucky Ayeni claimed gold in the 50m Breaststroke.
Other standout performers include Akintola Albert, who won gold in the Men’s 100m Butterfly, and Funmilayo Demehin, who secured silver in the Women’s 100m Butterfly. Edo’s success extended further with Mien-Ebi Mokuomor taking silver in the 200m Freestyle Men, Tissa Precious winning silver in the 100m Freestyle Men, and Nkonye Chukunedum bagging silver in the 50m Backstroke Women.
The games, sponsored by Niger Delta Development Commission and organized Dunamis Icon limited, was however not all about sports.
At a Cultural Expo Night headline by Okey Bakkassi, Ondo State won the dancing competition for a prize money of N1m which was doubled by the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, who was present at the event.
Chairman of the Edo State Sports Council, Amadin Enabulele commended his team for the win and praised Governor Monday Okpebholo for backing them.
Enabulele said, “This is a good feat for our team, and I must commend the athletes for finishing tops. This is a good moment for the state, and I must also ascribe this feat to Governor Monday Okpebholo for the support he gave to the team”.
Here is the full medals table from the 2nd Niger Delta Games:
| Rank | State | 🥇 Gold | 🥈 Silver | 🥉 Bronze | Total |
|——|————-|———|———–|———–|——-|
| 1 | Edo | 52 | 34 | 25 | 111 |
| 2 | Delta | 39 | 29 | 34 | 102 |
| 3 | Bayelsa | 25 | 24 | 26 | 75 |
| 4 | Akwa Ibom | 16 | 17 | 22 | 55 |
| 5 | Abia | 9 | 20 | 17 | 46 |
| 6 | Rivers | 6 | 16 | 24 | 46 |
| 7 | Cross River | 9 | 7 | 22 | 38 |
| 8 | Ondo | 7 | 13 | 14 | 34 |
| 9 | Imo | 5 | 8 | 18 | 31 |
