By Ado Salisu
The Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Alhaji Ali Muhammad Ali, has received the National Sports Tourism Conference and Exhibition (NASTOCE) 2026 Meritorious Award in recognition of his contributions to media development and the promotion of sports tourism in Nigeria.
The award was presented at the NAN headquarters in Abuja by the National President of Ringo Sport Club Nigeria (RSCN), Malam Ahmed Mohammed Sule.
Presenting the award, Sule said the recognition was in appreciation of Ali’s leadership in repositioning NAN and strengthening media coverage of sports tourism across the country.
He said the agency had consistently promoted specialised reporting on sports, tourism and other critical sectors, helping to project Nigeria’s sports tourism potential through digital storytelling and strategic media coverage.
According to him, NAN’s extensive coverage of the maiden edition of the National Sports Tourism Conference and Exhibition (NASTOCE) in 2026 contributed significantly to the success of the event.
Sule added that the NAN boss had played a key role in promoting sports tourism as a tool for economic growth and national development, noting that his efforts aligned with the objectives of NASTOCE.
He also appealed to NAN to support the publicity and media coverage of the forthcoming Nigerian Service Personnel Ringo Sport Training Programme (NISPRISPORT) 2026.
The one-week training programme, scheduled for Aug. 3 to Aug. 7 in Abuja, is designed to equip service personnel with the skills required to play ringo sport for recreation and competitive participation at local, national and international levels.
Responding, Ali thanked the Ringo Sport Club for the honour, describing the award as an encouragement to intensify efforts towards promoting sports tourism in Nigeria.
He said NAN remained committed to showcasing Nigeria’s sports tourism potential through quality journalism and digital media strategies.
“Sports tourism has evolved beyond medals and trophies to become a major driver of culture, commerce and destination branding globally, and NAN will continue to amplify this narrative,” he said.
The NAN managing director also pledged the agency’s full support for the NISPRISPORT 2026 training programme, assuring the organisers of comprehensive media coverage.
“We shall ensure that the training programme receives the visibility it deserves, and we will continue to support the Ringo Sport Club in its commendable efforts to develop sports tourism in Nigeria,” he said.
The NASTOCE Meritorious Award is an initiative of the Ringo Sport Club to recognise individuals and organisations contributing to the growth of sports tourism in Nigeria.
The maiden edition of NASTOCE, held in May 2026, was themed, “Leveraging the Intersection of Multi-Sectoral MDAs to Promote Sports Tourism in Nigeria,” and has been instituted as an annual event.
