The first official activity to begin preparations for the 2019 Nigerian University Games Association Games began on Friday as University of Lagos signs a Memorandum of Understanding for the sports fiesta.

UNILAG was announced as the host of the 26th edition of the championship after their bid got the approval of the management of NUGA in June and the institution is poised to stage a befitting Games having set up the Local Organising Committee.

According to the Executive Secretary of UNILAG NUGA LOC, Joseph Awoyinfa, the event is the climax of the handing over of the hosting rights to UNILAG.

“NUGA’s MoU signing ceremony is the peak and climax of handing over of the hosting rights for the next NUGA to be hosted by the University of first choice and nation’s pride,” he said.

Awoyinfa added that the institution is ready to set the pace in terms of staging NUGA Games.

The Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, and his management team along with the NUGA team led by their president, Professor Stephen Hamalyfeto, and secretary, Bola Orodele as well as NUGA Technical Chairman, Nicolas Igbokwe, were in attendance at the signing.

The VC, who is the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, urged members of the already inaugurated 14 sub-committees to ensure the Games measured up to global standards.

 Ogundipe said the school would go on break during the event to ensure that over 10,000 athletes and officials were properly accommodated.

Awoyinfa added that UNILAG had started preparations, which he said would include international exposure for athletes and officials, as well as facilities placement to get the best for the Games.

The sub-committees inaugurated are Accreditation/Documentation, Publicity/Media, Technical, Security, Transport, Environmental/Commercial Activities, NUGA Forum, Medical, Accommodation, Ceremonial, Finance, LOC Secretariat, Facilities and Team UNILAG Participation.