The 2025 edition of the WTT Contender Lagos officially served off on Tuesday, July 22, with the qualifying rounds getting underway at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium.

The international tournament, backed by a $100,000 prize pool, has drawn top table tennis talent from four continents and reaffirmed Lagos’ status as a key stop on the global WTT calendar.

At a pre-tournament press conference held on Monday, July 21, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), Wahid Enitan Oshodi, welcomed players and officials, expressing deep appreciation to World Table Tennis (WTT) for entrusting Lagos with hosting rights for the third consecutive year.

“We are excited that WTT has placed its trust in us once again,” said Oshodi, who also serves as President of ITTF Africa.

 “This event has firmly placed Lagos on the global table tennis map, thanks to the passionate support of our fans. It’s become one of the most exciting stops on the WTT Contender circuit.”

Oshodi noted that the event has grown in prestige, attracting elite players from Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. He called for continued support from the Lagos State Government and corporate partners to sustain and expand the tournament’s reach.

WTT Event Supervisor Maher Ben Ahmed highlighted the international flavour of this year’s competition.

“The presence of athletes from four continents is a testament to the tournament’s rising popularity. WTT Contender Lagos is now one of the most anticipated events in the WTT Series,” he stated.

Echoing his remarks, Event Manager Loh Yuan Yee praised the tournament’s energy and organisation, saying the enthusiasm from players and fans alike had been key to its annual success.

He also commended the LOC for its professional handling of logistics and competition arrangements.

Event Director Kweku Tandoh reinforced the LOC’s commitment to delivering a world-class event, assuring that all WTT standards would be met and surpassed.

 “We are focused on continuous improvement. Each edition has been better than the last, and 2025 will raise the bar again,” he said.

President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Ishaku Tikon, lauded the impact of WTT Contender Lagos on the local and continental table tennis scene.

“This tournament has not only positioned Nigeria as a leader in African table tennis but has also raised the level of the sport across the continent,” Tikon said.

The WTT Contender Lagos 2025 runs through the week, featuring intense action from local and international stars vying for ranking points, prestige, and prize money.

 As play begins, fans and players alike are set for another unforgettable chapter in Lagos’ rise as a global table tennis destination.

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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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