About 12 federal ministries, 64 agencies and departments, as well as 36 states’ ministries of sports and tourism are preparing to participate in the maiden edition of the National Sports Tourism and Exhibition – NASTOCE 2026 billed for Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st March, 2026 at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja.

Disclosing this during an interactive media session with newsmen in Abuja, convener of the Conference and Chairman of the National Organizing Committee, Malam Ahmed Mohammed Sule, said it is heartwarming to inform you the enthusiasm with which MDAs at both federal and states’ levels have shown interest and willingness to participate in the first ever national confab on sports tourism development in Nigeria.

‘Quite a number of the Federal Ministries and their Agencies have reached out to the Secretariat of the conference with expression of their interest to fully participate in the 2-day event which seeks to discuss the future potentials and prospects of sports tourism in the socio-economic development of the country’ he added. Noting that this underscores the understandings of the Ministries of the interconnectivity that exists between sports and tourism and the need to explore the inherent linkages for the good of the nation.

Sports tourism is a multifaceted industry that cuts across multi sectoral MDAs, with each having fundamentally impressive roles to play in the successful operation of a sport tourism activity. For instance, the Ministry of Interior that oversees Agencies like the Nigerian Immigration Service – a vital component in movement of people in and out of the country via passport and visa processing; the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps – necessary in civil security, protection and crowd control and the Federal Fire Service – in ensuring fire safety hospitality, tourism resorts and all public buildings for all purposes including sports tourism.
The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy is a vital component in driving the sports tourism industry through innovative and technological driven initiatives in line with global digital technology in all operations. This is just to mention a few. This goes to show that all the Ministries have one vital role or the other to play in the holistic and successful operations of the sport tourism industry.

The states in their respective domains are expected to adopt friendly and fruitful initiatives that will promote and boost sport tourism events and programs for the socio-economic growth and development of their respective states, especially, taking into consideration the socio-economic potential of sports tourism in job creation, youth empowerment and income generation to all strata of industry operators in the sector.

The 2-day event which has the theme Leveraging on the Inter-Section of Multi-Sectoral MDAs to Promote Sports Tourism in Nigeria , is bringing 12 Federal Ministries, 64 Agencies and 36 states’ Ministries of Sports and Tourism to discuss and focus attention on the connectivity between tourism and sports as well as the inter-links with other MDAs so as to explore the inherent socio-economic potentials existing in the interface of sports and tourism for the benefits of the national economy.

Another important feature of the Conference is the Exhibition of goods, products and services of sports, tourism, travel and hospitality related industry. A strategic marketing insights and offer of opportunities to exhibitors to gain first-hand insight into emerging policies, projects and investment opportunities in the sports-tourism ecosystem, thereby positioning MDAs to be at the forefront of the value chain that this convergence will inevitably create.