Nigeria beat Tunisia 23-15 to host 2028 ITTF Africa Championships for Lagos
- Nigeria win di vote 23 to 15 for di ITTF Africa AGM wey happun for Tangier, Morocco.
- Lagos go host di 2028 Africa Championships, and Nigeria also go host di 2027 Para Championships.
- NTTF president Adesoji Tayo promise say di event go well and go bring visitors come Nigeria.
Nigeria go host di 2028 ITTF Africa Championships afta member associations of di continental table tennis body pick di country pass Tunisia for ballot on Thursday.
Dem hold di vote for di ITTF Africa Annual General Meeting for Tangier, Morocco, afta delegates gree say make dem settle di host question by ballot. Out of di 38 certified voters, 23 choose Nigeria and 15 choose Tunisia, according to results wey dem announce for di meeting.
Thirty-one delegates vote in person, while seven votes come through proxies.
Lagos go host di championships, wey be di continent top table tennis competition. Di Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) president, Adesoji Tayo, talk say di support wey delegates show na overwhelming and e promise say di tournament go well-organised.
"Lagos go again witness di best of table tennis," Tayo talk, as e thank di delegates for trusting Nigeria with both events.
Nigeria record of hosting big table tennis competitions na key part of im case, according to di federation.
Two events in two years
Di win mean say Nigeria go host two continental table tennis events within two years. Di country go stage di 2027 African Para Championships, and di 2028 Africa Championships.
Di AGM also settle other hosts. Libya take di 2027 Africa Cup, Algeria di 2027 Africa Championships and Botswana di 2027 Youth Championships. In 2028, Rwanda go host di Youth Championships and Egypt di Para Championships. Dem never decide who go host di 2028 Africa Cup.
For ordinary Nigerians, di hosting mostly na sporting and tourism moment rather than direct change to daily life. E suppose bring players, officials and fans come Lagos, with spending on hotels, transport and food, though di sources no give figures for di expected economic impact or di cost of hosting.
E also give Nigerian table tennis fans chance to watch di continent best players for home, and local players get home crowd to play in front of.
Wetin happen next
Preparations for di two events suppose involve di NTTF, government agencies and other stakeholders, according to di reports. Dem never announce dates, venue or budget for di Lagos championships.
