By Felix Khanoba
The University of Abuja (UniAbuja) delivered an outstanding performance at the 27th pre-NUGA Games, held from 8 to 12 October 2025, qualifying for several major sporting events including male and female volleyball, female basketball, female football, male table tennis, male and female martial arts, male and female 100 metres hurdles, chess, and scrabble.
The competition, hosted by UniAbuja, brought together teams from thirteen universities, six of which actively competed in sports such as female football and basketball, male table tennis, lawn tennis, taekwondo, chess, volleyball, and karate for both male and female categories.
Participating institutions included the Federal University of Technology, Minna; Prince Abubakar Audu University, Ayingba; Nile University, Abuja; Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai; Federal University, Lokoja; Veritas University, Abuja; Abdulkadir Kure University, Minna; and UniAbuja.
Speaking on the event, Acting Vice-Chancellor of UniAbuja, Professor Mathew Adamu, praised the athletes and coaches for their dedication and excellent representation of the university, expressing confidence in their prospects at the forthcoming NUGA Games in Jos.
“We are proud of the performance of our students and coaches. Sports play a vital role in building unity, discipline, and institutional pride. These results show that our investment in sports development is beginning to yield positive outcomes. We will continue to support our teams to ensure they make the University proud at the forthcoming NUGA Games in Jos,” the Acting VC said.
Adamu further highlighted the university’s efforts to enhance its sporting facilities ahead of the competition, noting that the school had rehabilitated the road leading to the Sports Plaza, improved football pitches, installed new nets, upgraded floodlights, and refurbished both indoor and outdoor courts to near-international standards.
“These facilities are not just for competition but for continuous talent development,” the Acting Vice-Chancellor said, adding that, “Our goal is to make the University of Abuja a centre of sporting excellence in Nigeria.”
On his part , Director of Sports of the university also commended the management for its steadfast support and called for continued investment in sports infrastructure and athlete development.
The pre-NUGA Games, which served as qualifiers for the main NUGA competition in Jos, featured more than 60 student-athletes from the North-Central zone.
