Lagos NUJ to Host 2026 Media Games October 5–9
…Journalists to compete in football, athletics, chess, scrabble, table tennis, others
Journalists in Lagos are set for a break from the newsroom routine as the Lagos Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, prepares to host the 2026 NUJ Media Games from October 5 to 9.
The five-day sporting event will take place at the Agege Stadium and the NUJ Secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja, bringing together journalists from different media organisations for competition, recreation and camaraderie.
Chairman of the 2026 NUJ Media Games Sports Committee, Mr Ayo Ojedokun, disclosed this at a press conference held at the NUJ Secretariat, Ikeja.
Ojedokun said the Games were designed to give journalists an opportunity to step away from the pressures of deadlines, breaking news and newsroom assignments, while promoting physical fitness, mental alertness and healthy interaction among media professionals.
The competition will feature five-a-side football for both men and women, the 100-metre race and indoor events including chess, draughts, ayo, scrabble and table tennis.
Beyond the sporting competition, Ojedokun called on corporate organisations to identify with the Games by using the platform to promote their products and services. He said additional sponsors were welcome to support the event and contribute to its success.
The press conference also featured the unveiling of the official Games logo and the draw for the football competition.
Chairman of the NUJ Lagos Council, Mr Adeleye Ajayi, described the Media Games as an initiative that has come to stay, expressing the council’s enthusiasm about hosting the event.
Ajayi appreciated the sponsors, including Agege Local Government and Amuwo-Odofin Local Government, for supporting the initiative and identifying with efforts aimed at improving the physical and mental well-being of journalists.
The event also provided a moment of remembrance as participants observed a minute of silence in honour of the late former Secretary of the NUJ Lagos Council, Mr Alfred Odifa.
The football draw has already set up a series of encounters that will pit journalists from some of Lagos’ leading media organisations against one another.
In the men’s competition, Lagos Information was seeded first in Group A, while Vanguard topped Group B.
Group A comprises Lagos Information, Voice of Nigeria, Traffic Radio, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, and The Nation.
Group B has Vanguard, FMMC, Lagos Television and Guardian.
In the women’s competition, Lagos Television and Lagos Information were seeded to lead Groups A and B respectively.
Group A comprises Lagos Television, Traffic Radio, FMMC and FRCN, while Group B features Lagos Information, Vanguard, Guardian and Voice of Nigeria.
The official opening football match will see Lagos Information face Voice of Nigeria, following a novelty match between the NUJ Executive Council and a selected team in honour of the late Alfred Odifa.
Matches are scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. daily, with each football game lasting 30 minutes, divided into two 15-minute halves.
For journalists who spend much of their working lives chasing stories, attending press conferences and meeting deadlines, the Media Games are expected to provide a different kind of assignment—one involving competition, teamwork, laughter and the chance to reconnect with colleagues outside the newsroom.
