Nigeria to Host Women's T20i Tournament in 2026

The Nigeria Cricket Federation, led by Uyi Akpata, announced that Nigeria will host the Women’s T20i Invitational Tournament from March 18 to 29, 2026. This prestigious event will feature five nations: Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and South Africa U19, marking the latter's first appearance in the competition.

Akpata highlighted that the tournament is crucial for reinforcing Nigeria's position as a leading hub for women's cricket in Africa and establishing it as West Africa's premier women's international cricket event. The tournament aims to serve as a high-performance platform for emerging elite female cricketers across the continent and strengthen the international cricket pathway for Nigerian women.

In addition to the matches, the tournament will include youth cricket clinics and stakeholder engagement activities designed to enhance grassroots participation and expand the commercial ecosystem of cricket in Nigeria. The Nigerian women's team previously won the tournament in 2023 but surrendered the title to Tanzania in 2024.