By Victor Kanayo
Defending champions Nigeria and Togo are gearing up to retain their titles at the 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships, scheduled to take place from July 16 to 19 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.
Nigeria, the region’s most decorated team, will defend its women’s team title, which it retained in Lomé last year.
Meanwhile, Togo will aim to secure a second consecutive men’s team title, following a thrilling 3-2 victory over Nigeria in the 2024 final.
This year’s championship will feature strong competition from across the region, with Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Niger Republic and Sierra Leone joining the fray.
In the singles events, Nigeria’s top-ranked player, Matthew Kuti, will defend his men’s singles title. Kuti made history last year in Lomé by defeating Côte d’Ivoire’s Oba Oba Kizito 4-1 to claim his first regional crown. A repeat victory would make him the first male player to win back-to-back singles titles in the tournament’s history.
The women’s singles title is open for the taking following the absence of reigning champion Hope Udoaka of Nigeria, setting the stage for a new champion to emerge.
The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2025 African Championships, to be held later this year in Rwanda.
With the advantage of home support and the largest player contingent, Nigeria is also eyeing a return to the top in the men’s team event.
Participation has reached a new high, with over 10 countries confirmed, surpassing previous editions that peaked at nine.
Notably, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Niger Republic are returning to the competition after years of absence.
“All eyes will be on Nigeria,” Ferdinand Sonou, Vice President of ITTF Africa West Region and former President of the Benin Table Tennis Federation, said.
“Nigeria has a proven track record of hosting international competitions, and teams always look forward to playing here. This tournament marks the beginning of a series of international events in Lagos, and I believe we’ll witness the emergence of new stars alongside the established ones.”
