For decades, Nigerian sports journalists have been the invisible engine behind the country’s sports success stories. Now, the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) is demanding that the National Sports Commission (NSC) and other stakeholders finally give these journalists the respect, recognition, and reward they’ve long deserved.
In a bold statement issued on Tuesday by SWAN Secretary-General Ambassador Ikenna Okonkwo, on behalf of President Mr. Isaiah Benjamin, the association expressed deep disappointment over the consistent neglect of sports journalists by major players in the Nigerian sports ecosystem, Footballrover reports.
SWAN to NSC: Stop Sidelining the Sports Journalists Who Fuel Nigerian Sports
Despite their significant contributions, these media professionals are often left unsupported—even in the face of rising costs and personal risks.
President Benjamin didn’t mince words when calling out the disparity.
— “Journalists pay their way through to attend and cover proceedings at competitions (both local and international). They face the rigours of weather, harsh or high transportation and accommodation costs, coupled with many associated risks, yet administrators and others see and treat them with disdain,” he stated.
SWAN highlighted a recent example at the 2024 CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, where more than 25 Nigerian sports journalists showed up without institutional or government sponsorship.
They not only covered the event but also passionately supported the Super Falcons from the stands, boosting morale and global visibility.
Benjamin emphasised that this sacrifice often goes unnoticed.
— “The experience of a regular sports journalist in Nigeria is so pathetic that a number of us pass through a lot without getting any assistance or rewards whatsoever.”
He warned against the growing trend of exclusion and questioned the double standards of sports administrators.
— “Why will the sports administrators act as though sports journalists don’t matter to them, yet they run to the same media whenever they are under pressure for certain personal aggrandisement?”
Sports Journalists Play a Vital Role—Yet Are Still Treated as Extras
SWAN insists that sports journalists are not just spectators—they are enablers of growth, development, and visibility.
From nurturing early-stage athletes to holding sports administrators accountable, their work is fundamental.
— “Despite playing a leading role in the development of sports from month to month and year to year, journalists in Nigeria are highly undervalued by administrators, including those placed at high and strategic positions who should know better,” Benjamin said.
He acknowledged the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and state governors who have rewarded athletes and coaches in recent times but stressed that the media deserves a seat at that same table.
— “In other climes, the government, corporate organisations, and sports bodies do so much in ensuring that the sporting media are taken care of one way or the other, but in Nigeria, even the sports professionals, including highly placed officials at the then Ministry of Sports, now National Sports Commission (NSC), see media as a mere appendage—which ought not to be so,” Benjamin added.
He urged the NSC, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), and other federations to include the media in both the planning and execution of sporting initiatives.
Be the first to comment on "SWAN Slams NSC Over Shameful Neglect: Nigerian Sports Journalists Deserve Better"