The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has entered into a strategic partnership with Byblos Travels and Tours Nigeria Limited to provide affordable travel opportunities and logistics support for its members.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in Abuja on July 9, 2026, will significantly reduce the financial burden on sports journalists through discounted airfares, visa advisory services, accommodation support and other travel-related benefits, according to a statement by SWAN Secretary General Ikenna Okonkwo.
SWAN President Isaiah Benjamin described the agreement as a major step towards improving the welfare and professional capacity of members. He noted that the leadership carefully examined the details before endorsing the pact, commending veteran sports journalist Abdulgafar Oladimeji for facilitating the deal.
“Anything that will benefit our members, we are always interested in it,” Benjamin said. “Having gone through the contents of this agreement, I believe it will help our members in no small measure.”
Recalling the dangers of road transportation and the prohibitive cost of domestic air travel in Nigeria, Benjamin said many sports journalists have been unable to attend important sporting events due to exorbitant airfares.
“You can imagine our members travelling for thirteen or fourteen hours by road just to cover a match because they cannot afford the airfare. Some eventually choose not to go at all,” he lamented.
He expressed optimism that the partnership would enable more journalists to cover major events, including the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Leader of the Byblos delegation, Abubakar Nasrudeen, said the company was delighted to partner with SWAN to make international and domestic travel easier and more affordable for Nigerian sports journalists. The firm, which specialises in ticketing, visa processing and tour packages, would offer SWAN members exclusive travel deals unavailable to the general public.
“We are ready to give SWAN all the support in terms of airfare, visas and travel packages,” Nasrudeen said. “We want members to enjoy special fares and opportunities that they cannot easily get elsewhere.”
Former SWAN Kano State Secretary Abdulgafar Oladimeji, who facilitated the partnership, commended the leadership for embracing initiatives that promote welfare and professional growth. He noted that one of the major achievements of the current administration has been the restoration of stability and unity within the association.
“Today, SWAN is one voice. The association is stable and many people may not know that peace and stability are worth billions of naira to any organisation,” Oladimeji said.
He added that the current leadership had created an atmosphere that attracts partnerships capable of transforming the fortunes of sports journalists across the country, noting that one of the biggest motivations for becoming a sports journalist is the opportunity to travel and gain international exposure.
The agreement comes at a crucial time as preparations gather momentum for the 2026 Commonwealth Games and WAFCON, alongside the ongoing World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The partnership is expected to open a new chapter in Nigerian sports journalism by improving practitioner mobility, increasing participation in international sporting events and enhancing the quality of sports reportage nationwide.
