The ECOWAS-backed para-athletes games will commence from the first quarter of 2026
The Nigeria Unconquered Foundation (NUF) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to launch para-athletes’ games in the region.
The initiative is a new West African sports platform designed to promote inclusion for persons with disabilities (PWDs) and wounded veterans across the region.
In a statement, NUF announced that the MoU was signed on Thursday in Abuja, and the biennial games are scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2026.
The games will rotate among ECOWAS member states, with each host country selected through a competitive bidding process.
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Bobby Ojeh, executive director of NUF, described the partnership as a “significant step toward building a more inclusive and united West Africa.”
“The signing of this MoU is more than a formality. It represents our shared resolve to create real opportunities for para-athletes and persons living with disabilities across the sub-region,” Ojeh said.
On his part, Francis Njoagwuani, director of the ECOWAS youth and sports development centre, said the para-athletes games would consolidate various long-standing ECOWAS frameworks on disability rights, social inclusion and youth development.
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“Para-athletes are citizens, taxpayers and contributors to our economies,” he said.
“We’ve seen the global impact of the Paralympic and Invictus Games — there’s no reason ECOWAS cannot lead a similar movement for its people.”
Njoagwuani also encouraged ECOWAS member states and private sector actors to view the games not just as a social initiative but as a viable part of the sports economy in West Africa.
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