Kwara State Sports Commission has unveiled the official logo and mascot for the 8th Edition of the Kwara State Sports Festival, as preparations intensify for the commencement of the state’s major grassroots multi-sport competition.
The unveiling took place on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at the Conference Room of the Kwara State Sports Commission, Ilorin.
The festival, which will bring together athletes from the 16 Local Government Areas of Kwara State, will feature 28 sporting events and is scheduled to run from Friday, August 21 to Saturday, August 29, 2026, at the George Agbazika Innih Stadium Complex, Ilorin.
Addressing journalists at the unveiling, the Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission and Chairman of the Main Organising Committee (MOC), Coach Bolakale Adisa Mogaji, commended the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for creating an enabling platform for youths across the state to discover and develop their sporting talents.
Coach Mogaji also expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as the Chairmen of the 16 Local Government Areas, for their continued support towards youth empowerment and sports development in the state.
Tracing the history of sports development in Kwara, the Commission Chairman recalled the participation of Governor AbdulRazaq, Hameed Adio and himself in representing the state at the National Sports Festival during their active sporting years.
He explained that the revival of the Kwara State Sports Festival in 2000 was intended to sustain the competition as a biennial event and provide a platform for discovering and nurturing talents. However, subsequent editions were interrupted by the renovation and construction of sporting facilities at the George Agbazika Innih Stadium Complex.
According to him, the 2026 edition is designed not only to showcase the newly improved sporting facilities but also to identify emerging talents, promote the diverse cultural heritage of Kwara State and strengthen unity, togetherness and peaceful coexistence among the people.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Dr. Steve Olarinoye, assured that his committee was fully prepared for the festival, revealing that more than 60 per cent of the preparatory work had already been completed ahead of the opening ceremony.
Dr. Olarinoye disclosed that approximately 700 male and female athletes are expected to participate in the festival, representing the 16 Local Government Areas of the state.
He added that each Local Government Area is expected to field a maximum of 100 athletes across the various sporting events in the week long fiesta.
The festival will commence with the accreditation of participating athletes and officials on Friday, August 21, while the official opening ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2026.
The 8th Kwara State Sports Festival is expected to provide a major platform for grassroots talent identification, sporting excellence, cultural exchange and the promotion of unity among youths across the 16 Local Government Areas.
