Philip Shaibu Receives SWAN Award at 2026 Delegate Congress

The Director-General of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, has received an award from the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in recognition of his contributions to sports development in Nigeria.

Shaibu was honoured during the 2026 SWAN Delegate Congress and Awards Conference held in Kaduna State, an event that brought together sports administrators, journalists and other stakeholders in the Nigerian sports sector.

The award presentation was held at Zecool Hotel in Barnawa, Kaduna, where individuals and organisations considered to have contributed to the advancement of sports were recognised.

Shaibu was not personally present at the ceremony. He was represented by the NIS Kaduna Zonal Coordinator, Adeduro Taiwo Henry, who accepted the award on behalf of the institute’s Director-General.

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Speaking at the event, the NIS zonal coordinator thanked SWAN for recognising Shaibu and the institute, describing the honour as an encouragement to ongoing efforts to improve sports development and professional capacity in Nigeria.

He also called for stronger collaboration between the National Institute for Sports and sports journalists, stressing that effective cooperation between administrators and the media was important for the growth of sports across the country.

According to Henry, the media plays an important role in promoting sporting activities, increasing public awareness and strengthening accountability within the sector.

He noted that closer engagement between sports institutions and journalists could also contribute to the development of grassroots sports by giving greater visibility to emerging athletes and competitions.

The 2026 SWAN Delegate Congress and Awards Conference also featured the recognition of other personalities for their contributions to sports and wider society.

Among those honoured was the Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Hon. Hulayat Moturayo Omidiran, who was decorated as the Matron of SWAN.

The organisers said the annual congress was aimed at celebrating individuals and institutions whose efforts have contributed to the development and promotion of Nigerian sports.

They added that recognising such contributions would encourage stakeholders to sustain their efforts towards strengthening sports development at the grassroots and improving Nigeria’s performance on the national and international stages.