Buoyed by their impressive showing at the recently concluded ITTF Africa West Regional Championships, Nigeria’s top table tennis talents are brimming with confidence as they set their sights on the prestigious WTT Contender Lagos tournament, which serves off on Tuesday, July 22, at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Leading the charge are Matthew Kuti and Ajoke Ojomu, who claimed the men’s and women’s singles titles respectively at the regional championship, where Nigerian players dominated across multiple categories and semifinal berths.

Men’s singles semifinalist Taiwo Mati, who received a wildcard into the main draw of the WTT Contender Lagos, underscored the significance of the regional event in sharpening their readiness for international competition.

“I’m really pleased with our performance at the regional championships. The level of play definitely helped us get into top form for the WTT Contender Lagos,” Mati said. “There’s no doubt the WTT will be more challenging, given the calibre of international players coming to Lagos. But the regional event showed that many of us have made significant improvements. Personally, it helped me identify areas I need to work on before the tournament kicks off.”

Mati also expressed optimism about the growing competitiveness of African players on the global stage, stating that the gap is steadily closing.

Ajoke Ojomu, who clinched her first regional title after two runner-up finishes in previous editions, is also approaching the WTT tournament with renewed confidence and determination.

“I almost missed out on another title this year, but I’m glad I pulled through despite dealing with an injury during the match,” Ojomu said. “I believe we have what it takes to perform well this year.”

This year’s WTT Contender Lagos comes with increased stakes. The prize pool has been raised from $75,000 to $100,000, and winners in both the singles and doubles events will collect 400 world ranking points, adding even more intensity and significance to the competition.

The event is expected to attract top international stars and promises thrilling encounters, with homegrown talents like Kuti, Ojomu, Mati, and others aiming to make a strong impression on the global circuit — right on home soil.

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Nigeria’s Matthew Kuti made history on Saturday, July 19, at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall in Lagos, becoming the first West African to successfully defend the men’s singles title at the ITTF Africa West Regional Championships.

His landmark achievement capped a dominant performance by Team Nigeria, which swept gold in all major categories and reaffirmed its status as the regional powerhouse in table tennis.

Kuti overcame a stiff challenge from compatriot Abdulbasit Abdulfatai in the men’s singles final, recovering from a first-set loss to win 4-1 (7-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7) and secure back-to-back titles in front of a raucous home crowd at Teslim Balogun Stadium.

In the women’s singles, Ajoke Ojomu earned her maiden regional title after defeating Sukurat Aiyelabegan in straight sets (11-7, 11-8, 11-5, 14-12).

It was a moment of redemption for Ojomu, who lost the 2024 final to Hope Udoaka. Despite nursing a leg injury during the match, she fought through the pain, spurred on by the cheering fans in Lagos.

“This victory means everything to me,” Ojomu said after the match. “The support from the fans pushed me beyond my limits. After the disappointment of last year, I was determined to win this for Nigeria and myself.”

Team Nigeria’s dominance extended beyond the singles events. Earlier in the championship, the men’s team—featuring Kuti, Taiwo Mati, and Abdulfatai—crushed Côte d’Ivoire 3-0 in the final to reclaim the team title they lost to Togo in 2024.

The trio dropped only one set throughout the tournament, ironically to Côte d’Ivoire in the group stage, before powering through the knockout rounds with commanding performances.

In the women’s team event, Ojomu led Nigeria to an unbeaten run, defeating Benin Republic, Ghana, and Guinea without dropping a match.

The four-day tournament, which doubled as a qualifier for the 2025 African Championships scheduled for October 12–19 in Kigali, Rwanda, featured seven countries following Liberia’s late withdrawal. Nigeria swept aside opposition from Ghana, Togo, Guinea, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Burkina Faso to maintain its dominance in the West African region.

Vice President of ITTF Africa West Region, Ferdinand Sounou, hailed the Lagos event as the best-organized edition of the championship to date.

“This year’s tournament in Lagos was a resounding success,” Sounou said. “The quality of organization and the elevated standard of play were impressive.

Compared to previous editions, which were often dominated by a few countries, this year showed a remarkable improvement across the board.”

He added that while Nigeria remains the dominant force, the rest of the region is catching up. “Nigerian players are no longer the untouchables they once were. The gap is closing, and the competition is intensifying.”

As the dust settles on the 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships, Nigeria’s table tennis stars leave with gold around their necks and their eyes firmly set on Kigali, where continental glory awaits.

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Nigeria’s national table tennis teams delivered a stellar performance on home soil. The men’s team reclaimed their crown.

The women’s side extended their dominance at the 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships. These championships concluded their team events on Thursday in Lagos.

The men’s team, led by the trio of Matthew Kuti, Taiwo Mati, and Abdulbasit Abdulfatai, powered past Côte d’Ivoire in a commanding 3-0 victory in the final to secure the gold medal and book their spot at the 2025 African Championships in Kigali, Rwanda.

This triumph marked a strong comeback for the Nigerian men after narrowly losing the title to Togo in 2024. The team showed renewed determination throughout the four-day tournament, dropping just one set—ironically to Côte d’Ivoire in the group stage—before cruising through the knockout rounds with dominant displays.

Flawless Run for the Women’s Team

Nigeria’s women’s team, captained by Ajoke Ojomu, once again proved unbeatable in the region. The defending champions swept past Benin Republic, Ghana, and Guinea without dropping a match, underlining their status as the team to beat in West Africa.

Their flawless run secured them a place at the African Championships in October and reinforced their continued dominance on the regional stage.

Singles Competitions Heat Up

Attention now shifts to the singles competitions, which continue on Friday, July 18, and are expected to produce intense battles among the region’s top talent.

Defending men’s singles champion Oba Oba Kizito of Côte d’Ivoire is aiming to retain his title but faces tough challenges from Nigeria’s Taiwo Mati and Matthew Kuti, both former champions themselves. Players from Togo and Benin Republic are also in strong contention.

Among the early standouts, Guinea’s Maret Camara impressed with a dominant 3-0 win over Ghana’s James Marfo to top Group 9. However, Nigeria suffered a rare singles setback as Matthew Fabunmi fell 3-2 to Benin’s Atanda Adou in Group 11—the host nation’s only singles defeat so far.

In the women’s singles event, Nigeria’s full squad—Ajoke Ojomu, Kabirat Ayoola, Aishat Rabiu, Favour Ojo, Maryam Ahmed, and Sukurat Aiyelabegan—topped their respective groups and will all feature in the knockout rounds.

Road to Kigali

The 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships serve as a key qualifying event for the continental finals in Rwanda. With ten countries competing in team and singles events, the top three teams and standout singles performers will represent the region at the African Championships in Kigali this October.

The tournament wraps up on Saturday, July 19, with champions to be crowned in both the men’s and women’s singles categories, setting the stage for a thrilling climax to this showcase of West African table tennis talent.

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