By Isqil Najim
The Nigerian Society of Engineers has formally opened the 2026 National Engineering Games in Abuja, with delegates from the Ikeja Branch among the members who attended the ceremony.
The Ikeja Branch delegation was led by the Branch Chairman, Engr. Nimot Muili, who took members to the opening event as part of the Society’s nationwide gathering of engineers for this year’s games.
Declaring the competition open on Saturday, July 11, 2026, the NSE President, Engr. Ali Alimasuya Rabiu, FNSE, F.ASCE, FAEng, MFR, who was represented by the Society’s Deputy President, Engr. Valerie Ifueko Agberagba, FNSE, said the annual event, which began in 2011, was designed to give engineers a chance to unwind from their demanding work schedules while also encouraging fitness and general wellbeing.
According to him, the programme was built on two main goals, to allow engineers who work hard across various sectors of the economy to take a break and stay physically active, and to promote healthier living through sport. He noted that the Society has diligently stayed true to that original purpose since the programme launched in 2011, giving engineers who work tirelessly across all sectors of the economy a well deserved opportunity to take a break from their demanding schedules, engage in physical activity and promote overall fitness and wellness.
Rabiu said the Games had, over the years, grown beyond a sporting event into a platform for networking and social interaction, bringing together engineers, government officials, private sector players and members of the diplomatic community. He added that while the Games provide a platform for healthy competition, they also reinforce the values of discipline, resilience, teamwork and excellence that define the engineering profession, and that engineering professionals, who are at the forefront of delivering critical infrastructure and technological solutions for national development, require opportunities to relax, rejuvenate and interact outside the workplace.
He urged participants to compete with integrity, uphold the highest standards of discipline and fair play, and use the Games to build lasting friendships and professional networks that would contribute to the continued growth and advancement of the engineering profession in Nigeria.
The NSE President also commended the Nigeria Olympic Committee and Kenol Nigeria Limited for their contributions to the successful hosting of the 2026 National Engineering Games, and called on the diplomatic community to partner with the Society in expanding the event in future editions.
He said greater collaboration from diplomatic missions and development partners would further strengthen the Games’ role in building friendship, healthy competition and international goodwill, adding that the invitation to the diplomatic community aligns with one of the core objectives of the National Engineering Games, which is to build friendships that promote global peace through sports.
Rabiu also confirmed that the annual marathon introduced in 2025 in honour of former NSE President, Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel, FNSE, FAEng, OON, would be retained this year, describing the late leader, who currently serves as President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, as a respected sports administrator whose influence extended from engineering into sports administration. The 2026 Games commenced with the Habu Gumel Olympic Marathon, organised in his honour.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the 2026 National Engineering Games Committee, Engr. Giandomenico Massari, JP, DSSRS, FNSE, described the event as one that goes beyond sport to represent unity, teamwork and wellness within the engineering profession. He thanked the President for support to the Committee which enabled it to host the event this year, and noted that engineers, being responsible for designing, building and maintaining the country’s infrastructure, must equally pay attention to their own health and wellbeing.
Massari added that sport remains a unifying force capable of breaking social and cultural barriers, and said this year’s edition includes the NSE Habu Gumel Olympic Marathon and Awareness Walk along with several indoor events aimed at promoting a healthy work life balance among engineering professionals.
The Ikeja Branch was one of several branches that turned out for the opening ceremony, alongside delegates from Makurdi, Ajaokuta, Bwari and Aba branches. The ceremony also had top NSE leadership in attendance, including the President, Engr. Ali Rabiu, Deputy President, Engr. Valerie Agberagba, immediate past President, Engr. Margaret Oguntala, past Presidents Engr. Kashim Ali and Engr. Isaac Olorunfemi, as well as the COREN Vice President, Engr. Olaolu Ogunduyile.
The 2026 National Engineering Games will run in three phases across Abuja and Maiduguri. The opening phase began on Saturday with the Habu Gumel Marathon Walk and Awareness Parade at the National Engineering Centre in Abuja’s Central Business District, before moving to Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium for events such as chess, Monopoly, Ayo, Scrabble, badminton, lawn tennis, table tennis, volleyball and basketball.
The second phase, which covers golf and football, is scheduled for later in the year. Golf will hold on 31 October at the TYB International Golf Club, Yar’Adua Barracks, Abuja, while football, including regional playoffs and knockout stages, will take place on 21 November at the Turf Arena in Abuja.
The games will close on 29 November with a ceremony at the International Conference Centre in Maiduguri, Borno State, where winners will receive awards alongside cultural performances.
Participation in the competition remains open only to registered corporate, graduate and student members of the Society, and the Ikeja Branch is expected to continue its active involvement as the games progress in Abuja.
