Nigeria Withdraws from 2026 African Table Tennis Championships

Nigeria will miss the 2026 African Table Tennis Championships scheduled to be held in Morocco, marking the first time in recent history that the country will not feature in the event. This absence is a direct consequence of Nigeria's failure to participate in the Western Region Championship in Conakri, Guinea, which was a crucial qualifying event.

The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) struggled to meet financial obligations, including ongoing camp expenses for junior players at Babcock University in Ogun State. Despite these setbacks, the federation managed to send four cadet players—Umar Ayoola, Habeeb Adebayo, Emmanuella Shaibu, and Elizabeth Emenik—to compete in Accra, Ghana, for the 2026 African Youth Championship.

NTTF President Adesoji Tayo expressed regret over Nigeria's withdrawal from the Guinea tournament, attributing it to exorbitant flight costs and lack of support from the National Sports Commission (NSC). The inability to secure funding has dented Nigeria's reputation as a powerhouse in table tennis.