The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, has been urged to strengthen its role in sports development by moving beyond reporting sporting events to setting the agenda for accountability and reform in the sector.
The call was made at the 2026 SWAN Triennial National Delegates Congress in Kaduna, North-West Nigeria.
The congress, themed “Harnessing the Power of Sports and the Media for National Development, Youth Empowerment and Global Competitiveness,” brought together sports writers from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to deliberate on the future of sports journalism and administration in Nigeria.
Speaking virtually to the Congress, SWAN National Patron, Moses Andishu, urged journalists to embrace agenda-setting journalism by identifying critical issues and sustaining public discourse on sports development in Nigeria.
Former SWAN President, Sani Zaria, said sports journalists should return to their traditional roles as observers, watchdogs, critics, educators and advocates for national sports development.
Speakers also called on SWAN members to remain apolitical and uphold professional standards in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The congress further emphasised the need for sports journalists to investigate issues affecting athletes, sporting facilities, appointments and policies, rather than merely reporting sporting results.
(Follow AIT News on WhatsApp, AfricaIndependentTV on YouTube, ait_online on Facebook and X (Formerly Twitter), and officialait on TikTok, Instagram and Threads)
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
