Olopade Predicts Record-Breaking Gateway Games 2025 with Youth Innovation in Spotlight
By IDNN Sports Features Team
As anticipation builds for the Gateway Games 2025, the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, says the National Sports Festival in Ogun State will break new ground in innovation, preparation, and youth development.
The event, scheduled to run from May 16 to May 30, has already been described as “a world record in readiness” due to Ogun State’s early completion of sporting facilities and infrastructure.
“Ogun State has crossed many hurdles in record time. What we should be talking about now is how fast the excitement is growing across the country,” Olopade told IDNN.
🧬 Innovation Through Invited Junior Athletes (IJA)
In a bold move, the NSC is introducing the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) as a full-fledged “38th contingent” for the first time in Nigerian sports history. The IJAs, currently camped at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, are expected to compete against established stars and possibly upset the pecking order.
“They are training, they’re ready, and they want to shock Nigeria. These kids aren’t just tagging along — they’re coming for medals,” Olopade revealed with excitement.
This strategic inclusion aims to fast-track the emergence of tomorrow’s elite athletes, while also providing a platform for young stars to gain national exposure.
💰 Funding Athletes the New Way
Olopade also announced that top athletes — both junior and elite — have begun receiving training grants funded by the private sector, not government.
“That’s another innovation. The private sector is investing directly in athletes. This is how we grow sports sustainably,” he stated.
📊 Beyond 2025: A Vision for the Future
The NSC DG emphasized that Gateway Games 2025 is not just another festival. It is a policy-driven, performance-focused sports development platform.
He stressed that what Nigeria sees on the podium in Ogun could very well shape the nation’s Commonwealth and Olympic teams in the years ahead.
“What we’re doing now is shaping the next five years of Nigerian sports. These Games will set the tone,” Olopade concluded.
With less than 10 days to go, Gateway Games 2025 is shaping up to be more than just a competition — it’s a national reset, a youth explosion, and potentially a sports revolution.
