Nigeria Lose Team-Event Place at ITTF Africa Championships Over Funding Hurdle

Posted : 22 September 2026

Nigeria will be without teams at the 2026 ITTF Africa Championships in Tangier, Morocco, after financial constraints prevented the country from participating in the West African regional qualifiers in Conakry, Guinea.

The setback means one of Africa’s established table tennis nations will compete only in the individual events when the continental championship holds from Oct. 18 to 25.

The ITTF calendar confirms the Tangier championship dates, while the Conakry regional qualifiers were held from July 15 to 18.

Nigeria’s withdrawal from Conakry was attributed by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) to funding difficulties and high airfares.

NTTF President Adesoji Tayo said that the federation could not secure sufficient resources to send its players to the qualifying tournament.

Under the ITTF-Africa qualification pathway, failure to participate in the zonal tournament means a country cannot enter the corresponding team events at the continental championship.

The consequence is that Nigeria’s men and women will not be part of the team competition in Tangier, despite the country’s long-standing presence among Africa’s leading table tennis nations.

The development has also renewed scrutiny of sports financing in Nigeria, particularly against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s 2026 allocation to the National Sports Commission.

Published budget reports put the NSC’s 2026 allocation at about ₦203.6 billion, up from ₦78 billion in 2025, with funding earmarked for infrastructure and participation in major international competitions.

However, the available information does not establish that the NSC specifically withheld funds from the NTTF for the Conakry qualifiers.

Rather, the immediate explanation provided by the federation was that it could not raise enough money to cover the trip, with high flight costs cited as a major factor.

Nigeria’s participation in Tangier will therefore be limited to the individual competitions.

Former African champion Quadri Aruna and Olajide Omotayo have secured places through their world rankings, while youngsters Matthew Kuti and Sultan Agunbiade received wildcards following their performances at the Africa Youth Championships in Accra.

In the women’s singles, Fatimo Bello and Sukurat Aiyelabegan are set to compete through their rankings, while Kabirat Ayoola, Favour Ojo and Aziza Sezuo have received wildcards.

The individual competition will provide Nigeria with an opportunity to remain involved on the continental stage despite the absence of its national teams.

For the younger players, the championship will also offer valuable exposure against Africa’s senior elite, while Aruna and Omotayo will carry much of Nigeria’s experience into the singles campaign.

The situation leaves Nigerian table tennis facing a significant contrast: the country will have players competing for individual honours in Tangier, but no men’s or women’s team competing for continental team titles.

The immediate challenge for the sport’s administrators will be to ensure that future qualification opportunities are not lost to logistical and financial constraints, particularly when participation in a regional event can determine access to a major continental championship.

Nigeria Lose Team-Event Place at ITTF Africa Championships Over Funding Hurdle

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