The Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Dr. Olayiwola Awakan has thrown the weight of the Authority behind the hosting of a one-week intensive training programme for the Nigerian service personnel by the Ringo Sport Club, named, Nigerian Service Personnel Ringo Sport Training Programme (NISPRISPORT) 2026 with support funding of major aspects of the training exercise.
Dr. Awakan who disclosed this during a visit on him at the Abuja headquarter of NTDA by Malam Ahmed Mohammed Sule, National President of the Ringo Sport Club, noted that sports tourism is a huge investment hub that has become a global economic industry whose global market is valued at over $1.3 trillion by the year 2032 and that Nigeria cannot afford to be left out of benefiting from the immense economic values the sector holds.
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A released signed by Ahmed Mohammed Sule, the National President of the Ringo Sport Club hinted that a scheduled to hold at the Indoor Sport Hall, Package ‘B’ of the MKO Abiola National Stadium Abuja from Monday 3rd to Friday 7th August, 2026, NISPRISPORT is a high-impact preparatory training designed exclusively for the Service Personnel with the ultimate objective to assemble and train future champions in Inter-Service, National and International Ringo Sport Tournaments.
Speaking further, Dr. Awakan who said the Authority is ready to partner with the Nigerian sports sector so as to explore the untapped economic potentials inherent in it and for the socio-economic benefits of the country, added that the Ringo Sport Club is bringing back a very unique sport game into the country that was once a pride of the country and that Nigerians should be proud to accept and accommodate the game for its physical health benefits, peace building via sports competitions and economic exploration that the ringo sport offers.
In his response, Malam Ahmed noted with appreciation the kind gesture of the NTDA under the stewardship of Dr. Awakan to support the NISPRISPORT event which he described as a historic and first-of-its-kind participation of athletes of the Nigerian Service Personnel where the finest will test their mettle in skill acquisition as players of both national and global champions in discipline, agility and control of ringo sportsmanship.
Malam Ahmed noted that, having watched members of the Ringo Sport Club played exciting ringo sport matches during HENPAMRIST 2026, where participants won trophies and medals, the service personnel became interested and requested that they be trained to master the skills of the ringo sport, hence the current plans to host the NISPRISPORT 2026 training program.
He disclosed that a number of the service personnel establishments have been invited for participation in the one-week training program among which are the Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Immigration Service, Directorate of State Security Services, Nigerian National Intelligence Agency, Federal Road Safety Corps, Federal Fire Service and the Nigerian Drugs Law Enforcement Agency among others, adding that the responses from the invited establishments has been very impressive.
The Ringo or Ringtennis is a sport played on a rectangular court with a raised net similar to volley-ball or badminton, individual players or teams stand on opposite sides of the net and throw the ringo ring, a small rubber ring, back and forth, without letting it hit the ground and which also has to pass over the net to the opposite team on the other side of the court. The game of ringo has evolved into an enjoyable form of entertainment and a wonderful recreational sport which could be trained by anyone, regardless of seasons and other conditions.
The Ringo Sport Club is a premier sports club dedicated to promoting the once sprawling sport of ringo in Nigeria in the 70s as well as general sports development and the fostering of cross-sectoral collaborations. Under the leadership of Mal Ahmed Mohammed Sule, the club has pioneered initiatives that bridge sports tourism and national development.
