Calabar’s 2026 NUGA Games Moved To 2027 After Months Of Campus Preparations
By ETETE EKONG
THE 28th Nigerian University Games, scheduled to hold at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) from 14 to 24 November 2026, will no longer take place as planned.
The Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) announced on 29 October that it had shifted the competition to 2027. However, it did not provide a new date or explain the circumstances behind the decision.
The event, known as the “Paradise Games”, had attracted months of preparations at the host university. In anticipation of the competition, UNICAL suspended Wednesday lectures and practical sessions to enable student-athletes to train.
The university had also prepared to receive more than 50,000 athletes, officials and visitors. Furthermore, its management expressed optimism during a June media briefing, pointing to its partnership with the Cross River State Government and security agencies as part of efforts to ensure a successful event.
Although NUGA has promised to release updated schedules and logistical details through its official communication channels, the postponement has left participating students and the host community awaiting further clarification.
For the athletes, the decision disrupts preparations for a competition that had already shaped their training schedules. Similarly, the university must now consider the implications for facilities, logistics and academic arrangements made ahead of the November event.
As of press time, UNICAL management had not publicly reacted to the announcement. Meanwhile, students are waiting for official guidance on the academic calendar adjustments introduced to accommodate the games.
