Nigeria, Togo Set for Title Defense at 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships

Posted : 06 July 2025

Defending champions Nigeria and Togo are set to defend their titles at the 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships, taking place from July 16 to 19 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, located within the Teslim Balogun Stadium complex in Lagos, Nigeria.

Nigeria, the most decorated team in the region, will defend the women’s team title, which they successfully retained in Lomé last year. This confirmation was made in a statement released on Sunday by International Table Tennis Federation Africa (ITTF Africa).

Togo, meanwhile, will aim for back-to-back victories in the men’s team event, following a thrilling 3-2 win over Nigeria in the 2024 final held on home soil. That historic triumph was fueled by passionate home support in Lomé.

This time, Togo faces strong challenges from Nigeria, Benin Republic, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and other contenders such as Burkina Faso, Guinea, Liberia, Niger Republic, and Sierra Leone.

In the singles event, Nigeria’s top-ranked player, Matthew Kuti, will look to retain his men’s singles crown. Kuti won his maiden regional title last year, defeating Oba Oba Kizito of Côte d’Ivoire 4-1 in the final. A win this year would make him the first male player to win back-to-back singles titles at the regional championship.

However, the women’s singles title remains wide open due to the absence of reigning champion Hope Udoaka of Nigeria, presenting a golden opportunity for a new champion to emerge.

The 2025 championship also serves as a qualifier for the African Championships in Rwanda later this year. With the home advantage and the largest squad, Nigeria is eager to reclaim the men’s team title, which they narrowly lost to Togo in last year’s dramatic final.

This year’s edition has drawn increased participation, with over ten countries confirming attendance — an improvement from previous editions, which recorded a maximum of nine. Notably, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Niger Republic are returning to the tournament after several years of absence.

All eyes will be on Nigeria, a nation with a rich history of dominance in both the men’s and women’s categories in the region.

Ferdinand Sonou, ITTF Africa West Region Vice President, expressed his excitement ahead of the tournament, stating:

“I’m thrilled we’re back in Nigeria for the regional championships. It’s always a favourite for visiting teams. Nigeria has a strong reputation for hosting international events, and teams look forward to the experience.”

He added that the event signals the beginning of a packed international table tennis calendar in Lagos and praised ITTF Africa President Wahid Enitan Oshodi for his continued support.

Sonou concluded by highlighting that the rising number of participating nations reflects ITTF Africa’s commitment to expanding and developing table tennis across the West African region.

The 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships promise intense competition, elite talent, and the potential emergence of new stars in African table tennis.

Nigeria, Togo Set for Title Defense at 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships

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