Aruna, Omotayo Lead Nigeria’s Singles Charge at ITTF Africa Championships

Posted : 21 September 2026

Nigeria will not compete in the team events at the 2026 ITTF Africa Championships in Tangier, Morocco, after missing the West African regional qualifiers in Conakry, Guinea. The continental championships are scheduled for October 18 to 25, according to the ITTF calendar.

The Nigerian Table Tennis Federation withdrew from the Conakry qualifiers because of financial constraints and high flight costs. NTTF President Adesoji Tayo said the federation could not secure enough funding to send its players to Guinea for the qualifying tournament.

Under the qualification pathway, missing the zonal tournament means Nigeria cannot enter the corresponding team events at the continental championships. The absence removes one of Africa's traditional table tennis nations from the team competition as Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Angola and Cameroon prepare to compete in Tangier.

Nigeria will, however, retain representation in the individual events. Former African champion Quadri Aruna and Olajide Omotayo secured places through the ITTF World Rankings and will lead the country's men's singles challenge.

Youngsters Matthew Kuti and Sultan Agunbiade have also earned wildcard entries. Kuti recently led Nigeria's Under-19 boys to the team title and won the Youth Cup in Accra, while Agunbiade reached the Youth Cup final before finishing runner-up to his compatriot.

The women's singles will also feature Nigerian representation. Fatimo Bello and Sukurat Aiyelabegan qualified through their rankings, while Kabirat Ayoola, Favour Ojo and Aziza Sezuo received wildcard places following their performances at the African Youth Championships in Ghana.

The Tangier tournament will feature seven events and is expected to bring established African stars together with a new generation of players. Egypt's Hana Goda and Omar Assar, Algeria's Mehdi Bouloussa, and Moroccan sisters Jade and Tania Morice are among the names expected to attract attention.

The singles competition will also provide an important route toward the 2027 ITTF World Championships in Astana. That adds significance to every match for players seeking opportunities on the global stage.

The championships will be staged at Tangier's 10,000-capacity Salle Omnisports Arena. ITTF Africa officials have inspected the venue and reviewed accommodation, transportation, technical operations and other arrangements ahead of the tournament.

For Nigeria, the championships will therefore combine absence and opportunity. While the country will watch the team events from outside the competition, Aruna, Omotayo, Kuti, Agunbiade and the Nigerian women's representatives will still have an opportunity to compete for individual honours in Morocco.

Aruna, Omotayo Lead Nigeria’s Singles Charge at ITTF Africa Championships

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