The National Sewing Championship (NSC) Initiative has announced the commencement of registration for the 2026 Governor Ahmed Ododo Special Sewing Championship in Kogi State.
The competition is open to male and female youths aged 15 to 29 across the state’s 21 local government areas (LGAs) and aims to support what organisers described as Governor Ododo’s efforts to promote education.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the championship is designed to promote Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), encourage entrepreneurship, foster national unity and support practising artisans and craftsmen.
The National Coordinator of the NSC, Ms Rosemary Osikoya, announced this on Thursday during courtesy visits to heads of institutions in Lokoja to seek stakeholders’ support for the initiative.
At Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, the Rector, Prof. Salihu Avidime, pledged the institution’s support, noting that its mandate focused on TVET and that Ododo had been supporting efforts to equip its facilities.
Avidime also agreed to host the state finals and an upskilling sewing boot camp scheduled for December 16 to 18 for 63 finalists drawn from the 21 LGAs. He further pledged logistical support to ensure the events’ success.
Similarly, the Executive Chairman of the Kogi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Malam Abdulrazak Yusuf, pledged support for eligible basic education pupils competing for the Best Basic Education Prize.
Yusuf also assured the organisers that education secretaries across the 21 LGAs would provide enrolment support.
During a separate visit, the state Commissioner for Education, Mr Wemi Jones, underscored the importance of TVET to economic growth and skills development and pledged the ministry’s support for the championship.
Earlier, Osikoya said the competition was being organised by the Ladi Memorial Foundation (LMF), through the Chateko Vocational Institute in Lokoja, in collaboration with the Kogi State Government.
She explained that the NSC was initiated by LMF and approved by UNESCO under its 2022–2023 Participation Programme. The initiative was piloted in the Federal Capital Territory in 2023 and expanded in 2024 following approval by the Federal Ministry of Education, with 30 states and the FCT participating.
According to her, the competition categories include fashion design and garment making, beadwork and headscarf tying. She added that the North-Central representative on the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Board, Dr Hassan Ocholi, was providing partnership support for the project.
Osikoya, a former Kogi State Commissioner for Education, said registration would be conducted both online and physically, with forms available across the 21 LGAs through designated registration officers.
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NAN reports that the Director-General of the Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation, Hajia Nana Yussuff, had earlier pledged to partner with LMF to promote skills development and programmes beneficial to residents.
Yussuff highlighted the importance of communication in ensuring that eligible contestants, particularly those in rural communities, were informed about the competition. She also pledged support for the broadcast of jingles and coverage of the championship.
Prospective participants can obtain registration forms from their schools, LGA education secretary offices, SUBEB, the State Teaching Service Commission (STETCom) or the LMF Chateko Vocational Office. Online registration is also available.
Registration commenced on October 19 and will close on November 6, while LGA-level competitions are scheduled to hold on November 14 across the 21 LGAs.
The state finals and upskilling sewing boot camp for the 63 finalists will take place from December 16 to 18 at Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.
The grand award ceremony and exhibition are scheduled for December 19.
Winners will receive industrial and manual sewing machines, trophies, equipment and cash prizes.
