Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has tasked the newly inaugurated board of the Lagos State Sports Trust Fund (LSSTF) to channel resources toward the growth of grassroots and school sports, as well as broader sporting activities across the state.

The governor gave the charge on Wednesday, February 18, during the board’s inauguration at Lagos House, Marina.

The LSSTF board is chaired by former Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development and current President of the International Table Tennis Federation Africa, Enitan Oshodi, while Olaposi Agunbiade will serve as Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer.

Other board members include Olabode Agoro, Adeniyi Adekoya, Gbolahan Onibuje, Jubril Gawat, Kikelomo Bolarinwa, Olayemi Sarumi, Lekan Fatodu, Moshood Ajide and Engr. Ibrahim Adigun, Chairman of the Chairmen of Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas.

Focus on Institutions and Funding

Addressing the board, Sanwo-Olu urged members to leverage their professional expertise and networks to build a strong and enduring sports institution for Lagos.

“The mandate is straightforward — to support funding in sports and establish strong institutions for today and future generations,” the governor said. “I implore you to deploy resources into grassroots and school sports, and to enhance facilities across our divisions. This quasi-body can also reach out to the private sector, drawing on government experience to attract wider support.”

He stressed the importance of institutional strength and sustainable funding models in positioning Lagos as a leading sports hub.

Private Sector Partnership Key

In his remarks, Oshodi underscored the need to create sustainable funding pathways to support sports infrastructure and athlete development across the state.

“The Lagos State Government is spending a lot on sports, but in a megacity of over 20 million people, it is never enough,” he said. “We need facilities to support athletes, and the private sector’s involvement is crucial. With the capacity of this board, we are confident of securing that support.”

Oshodi added that while the board is focused on achieving immediate successes, its broader objective is to lay the foundation for long-term and sustainable sports development in Lagos.

The LSSTF was established to mobilise additional funding and partnerships to complement government investment in sports, with particular emphasis on youth development, infrastructure improvement and talent identification across the state’s divisions.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Omar Assar reaffirmed his dominance of African table tennis on Monday as he clinched a record seventh men’s singles title at the ITTF Africa Cup in Benghazi, Libya, while teenage star Hana Goda continued her remarkable rise by securing her fourth women’s singles crown.

Assar was imperious throughout the tournament, completing a flawless run without dropping a single set across six matches.

The Egyptian swept most of his opponents 3–0 or 4–0 and sealed the title with a commanding 4–0 victory (12–10, 11–8, 11–7, 11–7) over Algeria’s Mehdi Bouloussa in the final, successfully defending the crown he reclaimed in 2025. His triumph further cemented his status as the only male player to win the Africa Cup seven times.

Despite the defeat, Bouloussa enjoyed a historic campaign, becoming the first Algerian to reach the Africa Cup final. The 22-year-old produced one of the tournament’s standout performances in the semifinals, edging Nigeria’s five-time champion Quadri Aruna 4–3. Bouloussa is set to make his debut at the ITTF World Cup in Macao next month.

In the women’s singles, Goda—still the youngest-ever Africa Cup champion at just 14—was equally dominant. The Egyptian teenager brushed aside her compatriot and nine-time title holder Dina Meshref 4–0 (12–10, 11–3, 11–7, 11–9) in the final to retain her title and extend her unbeaten run on the continent.

Algeria’s teenage prodigy Tania Morice also emerged as one of the revelations of the competition. Building on her cadet title at the Africa Youth Championships in Lagos last year, Morice finished among the top four in Benghazi to secure her first ITTF World Cup ticket. She defeated experienced opponents, including Nigeria’s Fatimo Bello, Madagascar’s Hanitra Raharimanana and Tunisia’s Abir Haj Salah en route to the semifinals.

Overwhelmed by her breakthrough, Morice described the achievement as “incredible,” adding that the support of her coaches, teammates and parents had been crucial to her rapid rise.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Algeria will make a historic showing at the ITTF World Cup in Macao, China, after three of its players qualified from the 2026 ITTF Africa Cup in Benghazi, Libya.

Teenage prodigy Tania Morice, experienced left-hander Stéphane Ouaiche and surprise men’s semifinalist Mehdi Bouloussa all booked places among Africa’s representatives, marking a major milestone for Algerian table tennis.

Morice’s qualification capped a remarkable debut at the continental championship. Competing in the Africa Cup for the first time, the reigning African girls’ cadet champion swept through the group stage before sealing her World Cup ticket with a dominant 4–0 quarterfinal victory over Tunisia’s Abir Haj Salah.

The teenager had earlier announced her arrival with a stunning 3–1 upset of Nigeria’s Fatimo Bello, the fourth seed and 2022 Africa Cup runner-up, on the opening day of competition. She now heads to Macao for the biggest test of her burgeoning career.

Ouaiche’s qualification was equally significant. The France-based star, who last represented Algeria at the 2023 African Games in Ghana, finally ended a three-year wait imposed by ITTF nationality transfer regulations.

With the eligibility period completed, Ouaiche produced an emphatic run in Benghazi, topping his group before recording straight-games victories over Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo and Cameroon’s Ylane Batix. His qualification made him the only new face among Africa’s men’s representatives for the World Cup.

Bouloussa completed Algeria’s impressive haul with a major upset in the men’s singles semifinal, defeating Egypt’s third seed Youssef Abdelaziz 4–2 in a pulsating encounter. The result ensured Algeria will be represented by three players in Macao, underlining the country’s growing influence on the African table tennis scene.

Elsewhere, Africa’s established stars also secured their World Cup places. Egypt’s Hana Goda and Dina Meshref qualified once again, while Mariam Alhodaby earned her second appearance at the global showpiece after beating Nigeria’s Bello 4–1.

Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna advanced with a commanding 4–0 win over Egyptian teenager Badr Mostafa, while defending Africa Cup champion Omar Assar eased past Tunisia’s Wassim Essid by the same scoreline.

The Africa Cup semifinals promise high drama. In the men’s singles, Assar will face Ouaiche, while Aruna meets Bouloussa for the first time. On the women’s side, Goda takes on compatriot Alhodaby, with Morice set for a daunting showdown against nine-time champion Meshref in what could be a defining moment in the young Algerian’s career.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H