The President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engineer Habu Gumel, has urged sports journalists to promote gender equality by giving greater visibility to female athletes, coaches, administrators and other women in sports.
Gumel made the call at a seminar organised by the NOC Women’s Commission for sports journalists in Abuja on Monday, October 26, 2026.
He said the media had a critical role to play in shaping public perception of women in sports and encouraging greater female participation across different sporting disciplines.
“The media shapes narratives. What you write, what you say, what you show determines how the world perceives women in sport.
“If we want more girls to play, more women to coach, more women to lead, then we need the media to tell those stories,” Gumel said.
He stressed that balanced and inclusive sports reporting would encourage more girls to participate in sports and inspire women to aspire to leadership positions.
“This seminar is therefore not just about reporting sports. It is about changing the lens.
“It is about giving visibility to our female athletes, celebrating our female leaders, and encouraging a more balanced and inclusive coverage of sports in Nigeria,” he added.
The NOC president noted that the Women’s Commission had made significant contributions to capacity building, mentorship and the empowerment of women through its leadership programmes.
He described the journalists’ seminar as a strategic way to conclude the tenure of the current commission, expressing satisfaction that its final programme focused on the media’s role in advancing women’s participation in sports.
Gumel also commended the commission’s chairperson and members for their dedication, commitment and contributions to promoting women’s interests within the Olympic Movement.
“I am proud to say that this Commission has not disappointed. Since 2023, year after year, they have organised very impactful Women Leadership Programmes for female coaches, administrators, managers and technical officials in the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.
“They have built capacity, they have mentored, and they have inspired.
“Today, we gather for what will be the last programme of this present Commission, as their tenure comes to an end, and I am particularly happy that they have chosen to end on this very strategic note—a seminar for journalists,” he said.
Gumel urged participants to take full advantage of the seminar by engaging actively, asking questions and acquiring the knowledge needed to become advocates for women in sports journalism.
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