Badminton
BADMINTON COURTS AGOG AS 18 COUNTRIES ENTER FOR ALL AFRICA SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Nigeria will be the centre of attention in the African Badminton community, as Port-Harcourt, Rivers State is set to host the All Africa Senior Championships.
The Championships is made up of two separate tournaments: the Mixed Team Event holding from 22nd – 25th April and the Individual Championship to hold from the 26th – 28th April 2019 at the Alfred Diete Spiff Civic Centre, Port Harcourt.
Already, 18 countries have registered for the showpiece event, which will see the best men and ladies badminton players on the African continent compete for glory. These countries include; Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Congo, Congo DRC, Eritrea, Egypt Ghana and Ivory Coast. Other participating countries include; Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the host country, Nigeria.
The Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) has congratulated teams that have registered for their participation at the event and promises to stage the best All Africa Senior Championships the continent has ever seen.
“We are excited about the quality of teams that will be participating at the All Africa Senior Championships in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. These are teams with some of the most talented players on the continent. Africa’s number one male and female single players, Georges Paul and Kate Foo Kune, of Mauritius, will be participating at the Championship. Obviously the fans are in for perhaps the most competitive All Africa Senior Championships we have seen in a while,”Orbih stated.
On the country’s level of preparedness for the Championships, the BFN President promised that the country will be ready in time to host Africa. Orbih opines, “As part of the preparations for this competition, the BFN organized the 1st Rivers Governor’s National Badminton Championship in Port-Harcourt in December 2018.
“The National Championship provided us with an opportunity to test-run the facilities and infrastructure needed to host the All African Championship. We learnt a lot of lessons from the National Championship, which have proved very useful in our current preparations. The Rivers State Government has been very supportive in our preparations and with their continued support, we will be ready in time.”
Host countries typically have the difficult task of combining preparation for hosting events such as this and preparing their teams to successfully participate at the event. The BFN however does not envisage that challenge, noting that the Nigerian team is being prepared to successfully represent the country at the event.
“The National Camp is currently open and the players have been working hard to ensure they successfully represent Nigeria at the Championships. Over the last couple of years, Nigerian players have climbed their way to the top of the African rankings and are primed to be the team to beat at the Championships,” noted Orbih.
The Rivers State Government has also stated the readiness of the State to successfully host the tournament. The Commissioner for Sports,. Boma Iyaye noted that the expected level of participation shows that Rivers State is still one of the most important destinations for sports tourism in Nigeria.
“With the kind of infrastructure investments made by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike CON, we are not surprised to see the quality of countries interested in coming to the state to take part in the Championships. Rivers State is ready and we are sure this will be the best All Africa Senior Badminton Championships ever. This is the promise of the Rivers State Government to Africa and we are committed to keeping this promise.”
As part of the preparation for the publicity for the All Africa Senior Badminton Championships, a championship Mascot, which was designed by a resident of Port Harcourt, will be unveiled in Port Harcourt. The Mascot will be the fulcrum of all publicity activities in the run-up to the Championships.
The Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) has continued its nationwide grassroots development drive with a two-day outreach training held in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
Organised in collaboration with the Adamawa State Sports Council, the State Ministry of Education, and the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), Adamawa chapter, the training took place on 24 and 25 September 2025 at the General Murtala Mohammed College hall.
A total of 20 Physical Education teachers and 80 secondary school students from the Yola area participated in the intensive programme, which aimed to introduce badminton to schools and promote the sport at the grassroots level.
The training was facilitated by a team of five coaches led by George Shitta, who also serves as the Director of Sports at the Taraba State Sports Commission. Participants were taken through the fundamentals of badminton, including grip techniques, footwork, serving, stroke execution, game strategy, and proper warm-up routines.
According to the organisers, the programme was part of the BFN’s ongoing partnership with the Community Sports and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative, which has supported similar “Shuttle Time” and “Outreach Badminton Training” sessions across the country over the past three years. These sessions are designed to help teachers and students learn the game together while fostering teamwork, discipline, and social development.
The trainees actively engaged with the coaches — asking questions, sharing experiences, and demonstrating newly acquired skills. At the end of the programme, each participating school received badminton kits, including rackets, shuttlecocks, and nets, to help sustain practice beyond the training.
The Director of the Adamawa State Sports Council, Mr. Daniel Ahmed, graced the event, while the lead facilitator, George Shitta, paid courtesy visits to key education stakeholders — Hajiya Aisha M. Umar, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, and Birsan Panuel, Executive Secretary of the Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB).
Organisers described the initiative as a model of effective collaboration among sports authorities, education agencies, and development partners — a partnership they hope will continue to enhance both the academic and athletic growth of teachers, coaches, and students in Adamawa State.
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The curtain fell on the 8th Lagos International Badminton Classics at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Saturday, with host nation Nigeria making the podium and the event earning praise as a model for sports tourism in Africa.
Though global heavyweights dominated the finals, Nigeria’s Obanisola and her partner gave the home crowd reason to cheer by clinching bronze in the Women’s Doubles, ensuring the green and white were represented on the podium.
Elsewhere, India’s S. Lele defended her Women’s Singles crown with a 21-15, 21-17 victory over compatriot Kashyap, while Russia’s neutral duo Alimov and Ogloblin sealed Men’s Doubles gold against UAE’s Ravikrishna and Rimdahoi.
Tournament organizers hailed the event as a resounding success. “The Lagos International Badminton Classics has once again proven that Nigeria is ready to host world-class sporting events,” said Francis Orbih, President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN). “We are building a brand that showcases Africa’s talent, hospitality, and passion for badminton.”
With $17,500 prize money shared among winners and athletes praising the hospitality of Lagos, the championship reaffirmed Nigeria’s growing profile as a hub for global sports. The 9th edition in 2026 promises an even bigger spectacle.
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Indonesia stamped their authority on the 8th Lagos International Badminton Classics, turning the Teslim Balogun Stadium into a stage of triumph as they swept multiple gold medals on the final day of action.
From the opening Mixed Doubles clash to the showpiece Men’s Singles final, the Southeast Asian powerhouse asserted its dominance.
The pair of Prasetyo and Munggaren set the tone by defeating India’s Ravat and Maneesha 21-15, 21-17, before P. Shujiwo powered past Japan’s M. Koga 21-15, 21-17 in a pulsating Men’s Singles final.
The Indonesians celebrate in style
The Women’s Doubles final confirmed Indonesia’s superiority, with Meida and Nastine dispatching UAE’s Quathun and Sreejithparol in just 25 minutes (21-18, 21-7), the shortest contest of the evening.
The highlight of the celebrations came as Indonesia’s national anthem echoed repeatedly through the Okoya Thomas Indoor Hall, with Ambassador Bambang Suharto personally presenting the Men’s Singles trophy to Shujiwo — a moment that underscored the national pride attached to the victories.
With three golds and several silver finishes, Indonesia emerged as the undisputed star nation of Africa’s premier badminton competition.
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