Rivers State University finished with five gold medals to place 12th overall at the 27th Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) tournament, underscoring the shifting competitive landscape of university sports in Nigeria.
Benson Idahosa University (BIU) emerged overall champions after topping the final medal table at the University of Jos, ending more than a decade of dominance by the University of Port Harcourt.
The Benin-based university amassed 25 gold, six silver and three bronze medals — a decisive haul that secured their first-place position despite the host institution, the University of Jos, finishing with the highest total medal count of 50.
The victory marks a significant rise for BIU, whose sporting programme has rapidly strengthened in recent seasons. Their 25 gold medals set them well apart from their closest competitors, reinforcing the importance of top-podium finishes over overall medal totals.
The University of Benin matched BIU’s total medal count of 34 but finished third after securing only 15 gold medals.
This year’s edition brought an end to the University of Port Harcourt’s dominance, having won every tournament since 2011, opening the field for new contenders to reshape the national university games hierarchy.
