Ado Salisu
The National President of Ringo Sport Club Nigeria (RSCN), Malam Ahmed Mohammed Sule, has conferred the National Sports Tourism Conference and Exhibition (NASTOCE) 2026 Meritorious Award on the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Alhaji Ali Muhammad Ali, in recognition of his contributions to media infrastructure development and the promotion of sports tourism in Nigeria.
The award was presented at a ceremony held at the NAN Headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, Malam Ahmed commended Alhaji Ali for his commitment to excellence and collaboration, describing his leadership as instrumental in strengthening the relationship between the media, sports and tourism sectors.
He said that under Alhaji Ali’s leadership, NAN has consistently delivered specialised reports on key sectors while projecting Nigeria’s sports tourism potential through digital storytelling and strategic media coverage.
According to him, the award recognises the NAN Managing Director’s efforts in repositioning the agency as Africa’s largest news content provider and leveraging its platform to promote Nigeria’s sports tourism potential globally.
He noted that the extensive media coverage provided by NAN significantly contributed to the success of the maiden National Sports Tourism Conference and Exhibition (NASTOCE) held in 2026.
Malam Ahmed added that Alhaji Ali’s leadership has strengthened the narrative of sports tourism as a catalyst for economic growth and national development, stressing that his commitment aligns with the objectives of NASTOCE to unlock the socio-economic opportunities at the intersection of sports and tourism.
He also appealed to NAN to support the publicity of the forthcoming Nigerian Service Personnel Ringo Sport Training Programme (NISPRISPORT) 2026, a week-long training scheduled for August 3 to 7 in Abuja. The programme is designed to equip service personnel with the skills required to play Ringo Sport for recreation and participation in local and international competitions.
Responding, Alhaji Ali expressed appreciation to the Ringo Sport Club for the recognition, describing the award as an encouragement to intensify efforts toward promoting 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.
The NAN Managing Director also pledged the agency’s full support for the forthcoming NISPRISPORT 2026, assuring the organisers of comprehensive media coverage to enhance the programme’s visibility and promote the growth of sports tourism in Nigeria.
The NASTOCE 2026 Meritorious Award is part of Ringo Sport Club Nigeria’s initiative to recognise individuals and organisations contributing to the advancement of sports tourism in the country.
The maiden edition of the National Sports Tourism Conference and Exhibition, held in May 2026 under the theme, “Leveraging the Intersection of Multi-Sectoral MDAs to Promote Sports Tourism in Nigeria,” has been institutionalised as an annual event.