By Ado Salisu
The National President of Ringo Sport Club Nigeria (RSCN), Mallam Ahmed Mohammed Sule, has presented the prestigious NASTOCE 2026 Meritorious Awards to two leading figures in Nigeria’s tourism industry in recognition of their outstanding contributions to tourism development and sports tourism.
The recipients are Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, National President of the Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (ITPN), and Dr. Badaki Aliyu, President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN).
Presenting the awards at separate ceremonies in Abuja, Sule said the honours were in recognition of the recipients’ exceptional leadership and their contributions to strengthening the synergy between sports and tourism as catalysts for Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
He described Chief Odusanwo as a transformative leader who has championed the professionalisation of Nigeria’s tourism sector, making it more competitive and future-ready.
According to him, Odusanwo’s experience in international tourism consultancy, education harmonisation in Europe, and advisory roles for the World Bank and the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Nigerian trade policy has significantly advanced standards within the industry.
Sule also praised Dr. Badaki Aliyu for spearheading the Tourism Transformation Movement, an initiative aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s tourism sector through institutional reforms, capacity building, public-private partnerships, policy advocacy, and greater inclusion of youths and women in tourism leadership.
He noted that Dr. Badaki’s distinguished career in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry—including his leadership at Blissy Hospitality, his role as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of HATMAN, and his current position as FTAN President—has been marked by strong advocacy for unity, recovery, and strategic collaboration across the sector.
According to Sule, the awards underscore the importance of visionary leadership and professionalism in advancing Nigeria’s sports tourism agenda.
“Chief Odusanwo and Dr. Badaki have demonstrated unwavering commitment to excellence and collaboration, qualities that are essential for unlocking the enormous socio-economic potential at the intersection of sports and tourism,” he said.
Responding, Dr. Badaki expressed appreciation to Ringo Sport Club for initiating what he described as Nigeria’s first major platform bringing together stakeholders to explore the vast opportunities in sports tourism.
He said the initiative has opened new avenues for collaboration between government agencies and private sector operators to harness the industry’s economic potential.
Dr. Badaki pledged the continued support of private tourism operators for the club’s programmes and urged the Federal Government to establish a National Council on Sports Tourism to strengthen collaboration between the sports and tourism sectors.
Similarly, Chief Odusanwo commended the club for successfully hosting the maiden National Sports Tourism Conference and Exhibition (NASTOCE) and thanked its leadership for the honour.
He said the recognition would inspire him to intensify efforts toward building a globally competitive workforce and further professionalising Nigeria’s travel, tourism, hospitality, and allied industries.
The maiden NASTOCE 2026, themed “Leveraging the Intersection of Multi-Sectoral MDAs to Promote Sports Tourism in Nigeria,” was held on May 12, 2026.
Organisers said the conference, which will now be held annually, will return for its second edition from May 4 to 5, 2027.
As Nigeria’s first integrated sports and tourism conference, NASTOCE provides a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, investment promotion, and collaboration aimed at unlocking the economic benefits of sports tourism for national development.