No fewer than 12 Federal Ministries, alongside 64 of their agencies and departments, and the 36 States’ Ministries of Sports and Tourism are intensifying preparations to take part in the maiden edition of the National Sports Tourism and Exhibition (NASTOCE 2026).
The landmark event is scheduled to hold on Monday, 30th and Tuesday, 31st March 2026, at the prestigious Nicon Luxury Hotel.
The upcoming gathering is expected to attract key stakeholders from across the country, creating a platform for collaboration, innovation, and strategic engagement in the areas of sports development and tourism promotion.
Disclosing this during an interactive media session with journalists in Abuja, the convener of the Conference and Chairman of the National Organising Committee, Ahmed Mohammed Sule, expressed delight at the overwhelming response received so far.
He noted that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) at both federal and state levels have demonstrated remarkable enthusiasm and readiness to participate in what is set to be Nigeria’s first-ever national conference dedicated to sports tourism development.
According to him, the level of interest and commitment reflects a growing recognition of sports tourism as a viable driver of economic growth and national development.
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“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 several sectors, with various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) playing strategic and complementary roles to ensure its success.
Its effective operation depends on coordinated institutional support, regulatory efficiency, security management, and seamless service delivery.
For example, the Ministry of Interior supervises key agencies such as the Nigeria Immigration Service, which facilitates the movement of people in and out of the country through passport issuance and visa processing, an essential component for hosting international sporting and tourism events.
It also oversees the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, which plays a critical role in civil security, protection of critical infrastructure, and crowd control during major events.
In addition, the Federal Fire Service ensures fire safety compliance in hospitality facilities, tourism resorts, stadiums, and other public venues used for sporting and tourism-related activities.
Together, these institutions form part of the backbone required to deliver safe, efficient, and globally competitive sports tourism experiences.
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.
