By Ado Salisu
The Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Alhaji Ali Muhammad Ali, has been honoured with 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 commended Ali’s leadership in strengthening the agency’s media infrastructure and expanding specialized reporting, particularly in sports tourism.
He said NAN has consistently projected Nigeria’s sports tourism potential through strategic digital storytelling and extensive media coverage.
According to him, the honour reflects the club’s appreciation of Ali’s role in repositioning NAN as Africa’s leading news content provider while using its platform to promote sports tourism locally and internationally.
He noted that NAN’s comprehensive coverage of the maiden NASTOCE conference significantly contributed to the programme’s success and visibility.
Sule added that Ali’s leadership has helped strengthen the narrative of sports tourism as a catalyst for economic growth, national development and destination branding, in line 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, a week-long initiative designed to equip service personnel with ringo sport skills for recreation and participation in future local and international competitions.
Responding, Ali expressed gratitude to the Ringo Sport Club for the recognition, describing the award as an encouragement to further promote sports tourism in Nigeria.
He reaffirmed NAN’s commitment to showcasing the country’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.
Ali also pledged the agency’s full support for the NISPRISPORT 2026 training programme, assuring the organisers of comprehensive media coverage.
He said the training, scheduled to hold in Abuja from August 3 to 7, 2026, would receive the visibility it deserves as part of NAN’s commitment to promoting sports development and tourism.
The NASTOCE 2026 Meritorious Award is an initiative of the Ringo Sport Club Nigeria to recognise individuals and organisations making significant contributions to the growth of sports tourism in the country.
The maiden edition of the National Sports Tourism Conference and Exhibition, held in May 2026, was themed: “Leveraging the Intersection of Multi-Sectoral MDAs to Promote Sports Tourism in Nigeria,” and has now been established as an annual event.
