Ghana’s Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has challenged African sports journalists to embrace their influence as nation-builders, warning that reporting devoid of balance and depth can erode confidence in entire sporting ecosystems.

Addressing delegates at the Opening Ceremony of the 8th AIPS Africa Congress in Banjul, the Minister said journalism must strengthen sport’s development trajectory rather than undermine it through sensationalism or shallow coverage.

“When reporting lacks balance and depth, it discourages fans, scares sponsors, and weakens entire ecosystems. Journalism must remain a tool for development, not destruction,” he told the gathering.

Mr Adams acknowledged the realities of the digital era: speed, competition, and immediacy, but urged media practitioners to prioritise accuracy, context, and storytelling that expands opportunity.

He called for broader coverage beyond football, greater visibility for emerging athletes, and responsible adoption of new media platforms to advance sustainable sports economies across the continent.

The Minister framed this appeal within a wider call for Africa to reset its sports development model. He argued that the continent’s limitations stem not from talent shortages but from weak systems, under-commercialisation, and fragmented policy coordination.

While the global sports industry is valued at more than $500 billion and contributes roughly two percent to GDP in advanced economies, Africa’s sports economy is estimated at just USD 12–15 billion despite producing world-class talent.

“We export talent cheaply, consume foreign sport expensively, and struggle to retain value at home,” he noted.

He praised targeted national interventions in Morocco, Senegal, Rwanda, and Tanzania, where sport has been deliberately tied to infrastructure, tourism, and branding.

Ghana’s own reforms, he said, include restoring free-to-air television coverage of the Ghana Premier League, increasing prize money to GHC 2 million for champions, and operationalising the Ghana Sports Fund under Act 1159 to stabilise the domestic sports economy.

Looking ahead, he announced Ghana’s hosting of the 24th African Senior Athletics Championships and the 15th African Armwrestling Championships, inviting both participating nations and the media to shape a renewed continental narrative around sport.

He concluded with a challenge directed at governments and institutions alike to dismantle mobility barriers, move beyond rhetoric towards enforceable frameworks, invest in fan culture and diverse disciplines, and reposition sport as production and value creation rather than consumption.

“The opportunity is before us,” the Minister said. “The responsibility is ours.”