The University of jos, the host of the 27th Nigerian University Games,NUGA, has been given thumbs up on the preparation both in the screening of athletes and provision of facilities.
This commendation was given by the Chairman of the Technical Committee of NUGA, Professor Yakasai Musa Garba, at the Faculty of Veterinary medicine of the University of jos, venue for the screening of athletes.
Prof Yakasai, who also represented the NUGA National President, said “We are currently at the University of Jos for the accreditation process ahead of the 27th Nigerian University Games (NUGA). The process, which spans the first seven days, involves verifying athletes from all registered universities to ensure strict compliance with eligibility standards”.
The Chairman Technical maintained that so far each day, they accredit universities from three zones, with at least 10 universities per zone. That the exercise has been intensive, running from 7am to midnight daily.
He however lamented that one major challenge has been verifying data through university portals — an essential part of confirming athletes’ eligibility.
“We check for matriculation numbers, school fee payment, course registration, and valid admission records (JAMB and university admission)”.
“So far, nearly 60 universities have undergone accreditation. Michael Okpara University (Abia State) and Federal University Lokoja have stood out — not a single athlete was disqualified from either institution. However, we’ve had to disqualify over 50 athletes from several universities for failing to meet the criteria, with some schools recording up to 70 disqualified athletes out of 300+.
On the problems encountered, he stated that the common issues include: Inactive university portals, Fake or mismatched athlete photos, Use of non-students or ineligible graduates
and Submission of outdated academic records (e.g., 2016–2018 entries)
Prof Yakasai maintained further that these strict checks help reduce post-game protests as they had only five appeals which were filed in the last NUGA Games (UNILAG 2022), showing improved credibility and enforcement and they want to record zero protest after the Unijos NUGA.
Regarding facilities, he expressed his delight thus “I’m pleased with the progress. The indoor sports hall is nearing its roofing stage and should be ready by late October. The Tartan track base is in place, pending final layering — which can be completed in 1–2 weeks, funds permitting. However, swimming events may be moved off-campus due to delays.
“If any sports facilities are not ready, we will activate City Games at nearby venues without affecting the Games schedule. Despite two previous postponements, the November 5th, 2025 kickoff remains final and confirmed.
On the issue of universities with portal issues or special cases like University of Maiduguri affected by flooding, Kogi State University’s name change),he said unfortunately, once their zone’s accreditation date lapses, no further remedy can be made. The system relies on real-time portal access, and they cannot verify records offline.
On the eligibility of Postgraduate students, Prof Yakasai said, they are allowed, but only if their admission year aligns with NUGA eligibility guidelines. Most disqualifications involved students from as far back as 2016 to 2018.
“We are committed to hosting a transparent and fair NUGA Games, ensuring all athletes meet the standards set by the accreditation committee”.
The Chairman NUGA Accreditation Team, Mrs Eunice Adebayo James, on her own appreciated the University of jos for the excellent provision of seemless accreditation facilities that made the process smooth.
Mrs Eunice Adebayo, who is also the Director of Sports, Benson Idahosa University, Benin, Edo State, assured that every eligible athlete will be screned for the games.
Credit: Nathaniel Mobolade,
