By Ali Elias
The 14th NNPC Limited Sports Fiesta drew to a vibrant close on Saturday at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, with Team Integrity dominating the medals table to clinch the overall title at the week-long competition.
The team—comprising athletes from the Port Harcourt and Benin Zones—finished with an impressive 31 gold, 18 silver and 21 bronze medals, in addition to nine trophies, sealing their position as the standout performers of the 2025 edition.
Trailing behind was Team Sustainability from the Abuja and Kaduna Zones, which secured 15 gold, 26 silver and 23 bronze medals, while Team Excellence from the Lagos and Warri Zones settled for third place with 13 gold, 16 silver and 19 bronze medals.
Ojulari: “Let Excellence Be Our Daily Standard”
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, praised the athletes for their display of grit, passion, and unity, saying the performance reflected the organisation’s core values both on the field and in the marketplace.
He described the fiesta as “a brilliant reminder that NNPC Ltd can win not only in business but also in the sporting arena,” adding that the organisation was fully primed to defend its dominance at the upcoming 20th Nigeria Oil & Gas Industry Games (NOGIG) in February 2026.
“Let the discipline you showed throughout these games elevate our performance; let the unity you built here strengthen our teamwork; let the excellence you demonstrated become our daily standard,” Ojulari said.
NNPC Eyes Strong Impression at 2026 NOGIG
Executive Vice President, Business Services, Sophia Mbakwe, also commended the athletes, noting that the displays she witnessed over the week had strengthened her conviction that NNPC’s contingent would not only participate at NOGIG 2026, but “make an impression.”
This year’s fiesta, themed “Energy in Motion: Compete, Connect & Celebrate,” brought together 450 athletes from across the company’s zonal formations to compete in 13 sporting categories, including football, basketball, volleyball, chess, squash, scrabble, pool, golf, tennis, table tennis, badminton, swimming, and athletics.
Beyond the medals and trophies, the event served as a strategic talent pipeline, with standout performers expected to form the backbone of NNPC’s team for the forthcoming NOGIG Games, where the company is determined to extend its long-standing winning streak.
A Tradition of Sporting Dominance
NNPC Ltd. has earned a formidable reputation in the oil and gas industry’s sporting circuit. At the last NOGIG Games held in 2024, the company emerged overall winner after amassing 50 medals, comprising 20 gold, 9 silver, and 21 bronze.
With the success recorded at the 14th Sports Fiesta, the organisation is optimistic that it will once again set the pace when it comes up against teams from International Oil Companies (IOCs) and key agencies under the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources in 2026.