The Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Championship will return to Calabar, Cross River State, for the 2026 edition, two years after the city hosted the second-tier competition in 2024.

In a statement on Thursday, the NWFL spokesperson, Samuel Ahmadu, confirmed this year’s Championship will hold from July 9 to 16, 2026, with 16 participating clubs set to battle for promotion to the NWFL Premiership.

The return of Calabar continues the city’s role in hosting major women’s football events, providing the platform for another competitive promotion race as clubs compete for a place among Nigeria’s elite women’s football teams.

Commenting on the development, NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Ms. Modupe Shabi, opened up on the schedule for second tier, with participating clubs, expected to arrive on Thursday, July 9, 2026, ahead of the commencement of activities.

Before then, Shabi also revealed that teams will be divided into four groups following a draw conducted on Monday, June 29, 2026, with full group details and access information communicated to the clubs.

The tournament schedule will begin with the pre-match meeting scheduled for Friday, July 10, before the competition officially kicks off on Saturday, July 11, with Matchday 1 featuring eight matches across two venues.

Following a rest day on Sunday, July 12, teams will return for Matchday 2 on Monday, July 13, with another eight fixtures across two venues.

The group stage will conclude with Matchday 3 on Tuesday, July 14, before another rest day on Wednesday, July 15, ahead of the decisive Matchday 4 play-off fixtures on Thursday, July 16.

At the end of the competition, the two best-performing teams will earn promotion to the NWFL Premiership, while the three lowest-ranked teams will drop to the NWFL Nationwide division.

The NWFL management has urged all participating clubs to strictly adhere to the competition regulations, schedules and directives as preparations continue for the 2026 NWFL Championship.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has partnered with Meta to promote responsible digital citizenship and protect young Nigerians online.

The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, disclosed the partnership at the Youth Safety Summit organised by Meta on Thursday.

At the summit, held in Abuja, Meta, in partnership with NITDA and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, also launched the Youth Online Safety Campaign and My Digital World 2.0.

The stakeholders at the summit, including government officials, civil society organisations, educators, and industry leaders, deliberated on strategies to create a safer digital environment for young people.

Represented by Ahmed Tambuwal, acting director of NITDA’s Digital Literacy and Capacity Building Department, Mr Inuwa said the agency remained committed to ensuring that young people enjoy safe, positive, and age-appropriate online experiences.

He noted that NITDA’s ongoing nationwide digital literacy programmes would receive a significant boost through its collaboration with Meta, particularly in advancing online safety education among young Nigerians.

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According to him, the partnership seeks to integrate online safety education into the school system, equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and values required to use digital technologies safely, responsibly, and productively.

Stakeholders at the event emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among government agencies, technology companies, educators, and civil society groups to address emerging online risks and promote digital well-being among young people.

The initiatives are expected to enhance digital literacy, strengthen online safety awareness, and support efforts to create a more secure and inclusive digital ecosystem for Nigerian youths.