CIO Golf Championship returns to Port Harcourt with record ₦100m prize
- The seventh CIO Golf Championship will hold at Python Golf Club, Port Harcourt, from November 8 to 15.
- Organisers confirmed a record ₦100 million purse and about 30 top African professionals, plus a strong Nigerian field.
- The winner could earn a route to the Magical Kenya Open, a DP World Tour event.
Nigeria's richest professional golf event is back, and this year the money is bigger. Organisers of the seventh CIO Golf Championship say the tournament will carry a record ₦100 million prize purse when it tees off at Python Golf Club in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, from November 8 to 15.
About 30 of Africa's top professionals are expected to compete alongside a strong Nigerian contingent, according to the organisers. The week-long event opens on November 8 with a Kids Championship, a grassroots component the organisers have kept. Elite amateurs and professionals then take centre stage from November 11 to 15.
Why it matters beyond the prize money
For Nigerian professionals, the draw is not only the naira. The winner is expected to gain a potential route to the Magical Kenya Open, a DP World Tour event, giving local players rare exposure against established international golfers.
Ikenna Okafor, Chairman of Keves Global Leasing, a major sponsor, said the championship is about rewarding excellence and opening doors abroad. "This pathway is particularly important for Nigerian professionals who possess the talent but lack regular access to international competition," he said, describing the event as a bridge between local excellence and global opportunity.
Defending champion Francis Epe, who won the 2025 edition, said the tournament's competitive field and improved prize money have continued to raise the profile of professional golf in Nigeria. He also said it has showcased Python Golf Club and reinforced the country's capacity to host major international competitions.
With the bigger purse and the Kenya Open prospect, the seventh edition is expected to strengthen the championship's standing on the African golf calendar.
What happens next
The Kids Championship opens proceedings on November 8. The main professional and amateur competition runs from November 11 to 15, when the ₦100 million purse and the international pathway will be decided in Port Harcourt.
