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 on Monday, October 26, during the NOC Women’s Commission seminar for sports journalists in Abuja.

The NOC president emphasised the media’s critical role in shaping public perception of women in sports, noting that balanced and inclusive reporting could encourage more girls to participate in sports and inspire women to take up leadership positions.

“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 the seminar was designed to go beyond conventional sports reporting by encouraging journalists to adopt a more inclusive approach to coverage.

“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.

Gumel noted that the Women’s Commission had implemented programmes that built capacity, provided mentorship and inspired women to contribute more effectively to sports development across the country.

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 influence in advancing women’s participation in sports.

The NOC president 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 organized 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,” Gumel said.

He urged participants to take full advantage of the seminar by engaging actively, asking questions and acquiring the knowledge required to become advocates for women in sports journalism.