The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, his FCT counterpart, Nyesom Wike as well as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri and the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, top government functionaries and stakeholders in the oil and gas sector are expected to grace the 19th edition of the Nigerian Oil And Gas Industry Games (NOGIG) which will hold from April 21 to 27, 2024 in Abuja.
The chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Games, Dr Ifeyinwa Mojo-Eyes, stated this during the pre-event press conference heralding the Games which was held on Wednesday in Abuja. The LOC chairman said 1,500 participants from 13 oil companies will participate in 13 games during the week-long event which will hold at both the package A and B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
According to Mojo-Eyes, the oil companies being expected are the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Exxon Mobil, Shell, Chevron, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Nigeria NLG and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB). Others are Nigerian Downstream and Midstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Total Energies, Aradel, Seplat and Oando.
The participants will compete for honours in football, volleyball, basketball, golf, tennis, table tennis and squash. Games such as badminton, chess, scrabble, athletics, swimming and 8 ball pool are also not left out. Trophies, medal and gifts will be awarded to the participants at the end of the Games.
“This is an event we are all looking forward to. An event that is bringing the entire oil and gas industry together. The Nigeria Oil and Gas Games (NOGIG) started in 1986 by two companies, the NNPC and Exxon Mobil. As time went by, we progressed from the first edition and today we are having the 19th edition with 13 oil companies and we have 13 games. The competition is coming up this month from 21st April which is the opening ceremony and will run through 27th April, 2024 which is the closing ceremony.
The Games themed “Empower Wellness, Ignite Productivity” according to Mojo-Eyes is aimed at promoting healthy workforce that will be productive at all times and give its best to its employer. She added solid security and medical arrangements have been put in place for the athletes and the officials coming for the event.
“We are expecting a lot of people across the parastatals and we are in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports Development. So, we are inviting the Minister of Sports, Senator John Owan Enoh, the Minister of FCT, the Minister of Petroleum (Oil) and the Minister of Petroleum (Gas) and all leaders in the oil and gas sector. All letters sent and signed by the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
“We have put in place top-notch security and medical arrangements for the participants and those that will be coming for the Games. The media are also not left out. The major objective (of the Games) is for us to come together, synergize, network and most importantly is the health benefits. The theme for this year’s event is “Empower Wellness, Ignite Productivity”. We cannot overemphasized the health benefits of sports to human beings. A healthy workforce or a healthy nation is the best because you get the best from the employees and it gives you the best of results.
“You must empower your employees through sports. Sports is something that when you do it mentally, psychologically, physically, socially, totality of human being is put in place for you to get the best. When you are healthy, sporty and energise to do any form of sports, you will be healthy enough to give back to the society starting from the company that employed you,” Mojo-Eyes told Sporting Tribune.
Members of the LOC are Chido Okoli (first vice chairman), Simon Njoku second vice chairman), Solomon Erekosima, Aishatu Abba-Kyari (secretary) among others.