Nigeria, Togo battle for honour at 2025 ITTF Africa Championships

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

Nigeria, the region’s most successful team, will defend the women’s team title, which it successfully retained last year in Lomé. Meanwhile, Togo will look to repeat their upset over Nigeria in the men’s team final, having edged out the hosts 3-2 in 2024 to claim their first title.

Sonou: ‘All eyes will be on Nigeria’

Speaking ahead of the event, Ferdinand Sonou, Vice President of ITTF Africa West Region and former President of the Benin Table Tennis Federation, praised Nigeria’s pedigree as a host.

“Nigeria has a proven track record of hosting international competitions, and teams always look forward to playing here,” Sonou said. “This tournament marks the start of a series of major international events in Lagos. I believe we’ll see the emergence of new stars alongside established champions.”

Sonou also commended ITTF Africa President Wahid Enitan Oshodi for his unwavering support, noting that the rise in participation highlights the sport’s growing strength across the region.

Regional heavyweights clash in Lagos

This year’s championship promises fierce competition, with a record over 10 countries confirmed to participate, including Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Niger Republic, and Sierra Leone. Notably, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Niger Republic return to the tournament after extended absences.

In the singles events, all eyes will be on Matthew Kuti, Nigeria’s top-ranked player, who will defend his men’s singles crown after making history in Lomé last year with a 4-1 victory over Côte d’Ivoire’s Oba Oba Kizito. Another win would make Kuti the first male player to claim back-to-back singles titles in the tournament’s history.

The women’s singles title is wide open with reigning champion Hope Udoaka absent, setting the stage for a new queen of West African table tennis to emerge.

Rwanda 2025 qualification and home advantage

The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2025 African Championships in Rwanda, adding extra significance to the results. With home advantage, the largest squad, and strong crowd support, Nigeria is targeting a return to the top of the men’s team standings while defending their dominance on the women’s side.