Nigeria beats Tunisia 23-15 to host 2028 ITTF Africa Championships in Lagos
- Nigeria won the vote 23 to 15 at the ITTF Africa AGM in Tangier, Morocco.
- Lagos will stage the 2028 Africa Championships, and Nigeria also hosts the 2027 Para Championships.
- NTTF president Adesoji Tayo promised a well-run event that will draw visitors to Nigeria.
Nigeria will stage the 2028 ITTF Africa Championships after member associations of the continental table tennis body picked the country over Tunisia in a ballot on Thursday.
The vote was held at the ITTF Africa Annual General Meeting in Tangier, Morocco, after delegates agreed to settle the host question by ballot. Of the 38 certified voters, 23 chose Nigeria and 15 chose Tunisia, according to results announced at the meeting.
Thirty-one delegates voted in person, while seven votes came through proxies.
Lagos will host the championships, the continent's top table tennis competition. The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) president, Adesoji Tayo, said the delegates' support was overwhelming and promised a well-organised tournament.
"Lagos will again witness the best of table tennis," Tayo said, thanking the delegates for trusting Nigeria with both events.
Nigeria's record of hosting big table tennis competitions was a key part of its case, according to the federation.
Two events in two years
The win means Nigeria will host two continental table tennis events within two years. The country will stage the 2027 African Para Championships, and the 2028 Africa Championships.
The AGM also settled other hosts. Libya takes the 2027 Africa Cup, Algeria the 2027 Africa Championships and Botswana the 2027 Youth Championships. In 2028, Rwanda will host the Youth Championships and Egypt the Para Championships. The host of the 2028 Africa Cup has not been decided.
For ordinary Nigerians, the hosting is mostly a sporting and tourism moment rather than a direct change to daily life. It should bring players, officials and fans to Lagos, with spending on hotels, transport and food, though the sources did not give figures for the expected economic impact or the cost of hosting.
It also gives Nigerian table tennis fans a chance to watch the continent's best players at home, and local players a home crowd to play in front of.
What happens next
Preparations for the two events are expected to involve the NTTF, government agencies and other stakeholders, according to the reports. No dates, venue or budget for the Lagos championships have been announced.
