The quest for West African table tennis supremacy officially gets underway today, Wednesday, July 16, as top players from across the region gather at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, for the 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships.

The prestigious four-day tournament, which also serves as a qualifier for the 2025 African Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, will see fierce contests in both team and singles events, with national pride and continental tickets at stake.

Host nation Nigeria, historically the dominant force in West African table tennis, will look to reassert its supremacy after a shock 3-2 defeat to Togo in the men’s team final of the 2024 edition in Lomé.

This year, Nigeria’s men’s squad features a formidable lineup including Matthew Kuti, Taiwo Mati, Muiz Adegoke, Abdulbasit Abdulfatai, and Matthew Fabunmi — all determined to reclaim regional bragging rights on home soil.

The Togolese, however, are not to be underestimated. Their star player, U.S.-based Kokou Fanny, returns alongside rising talents Atarou Assou and Kossi Akakpo, with hopes of repeating last year’s upset and cementing their status as emerging contenders.

Côte d’Ivoire, another strong challenger, will be led by veteran Oba Oba Kizito, the inaugural regional champion. Now based in Paris, Kizito is chasing a long-awaited gold medal after four consecutive near-misses in past tournaments.

On the women’s side, Nigeria remains the team to beat despite the absence of reigning singles champion Hope Udoaka. Team captain and veteran player Ajoke Ojomu will lead a youthful squad featuring Aishat Rabiu and Aziza Sezuo, both of whom are eager to make their mark and retain the title for Nigeria.

The championship’s team finals are scheduled for Thursday, July 17, while the much-anticipated singles finals will take place on Saturday, July 19, bringing the tournament to a dramatic close.

With reputations on the line and Kigali qualification at stake, the next four days in Lagos promise high-octane rallies, regional rivalries, and unforgettable table tennis drama.

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Defending champions Nigeria and Togo are gearing up to retain their titles at the 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships, scheduled to take place from July 16 to 19 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Nigeria, the region’s most decorated team, will defend its women’s team title, which it retained in Lomé last year. Meanwhile, Togo will aim to secure a second consecutive men’s team title, following a thrilling 3-2 victory over Nigeria in the 2024 final.

This year’s championship will feature strong competition from across the region, with Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Niger Republic, and Sierra Leone joining the fray.

In the singles events, Nigeria’s top-ranked player, Matthew Kuti, will defend his men’s singles title. Kuti made history last year in Lomé by defeating Côte d’Ivoire’s Oba Oba Kizito 4-1 to claim his first regional crown. A repeat victory would make him the first male player to win back-to-back singles titles in the tournament’s history.

The women’s singles title is open for the taking following the absence of reigning champion Hope Udoaka of Nigeria, setting the stage for a new champion to emerge.

The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the 2025 African Championships, to be held later this year in Rwanda. With the advantage of home support and the largest player contingent, Nigeria is also eyeing a return to the top in the men’s team event.

Participation has reached a new high, with over 10 countries confirmed, surpassing previous editions that peaked at nine. Notably, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Niger Republic are returning to the competition after years of absence.

“All eyes will be on Nigeria,” said Ferdinand Sonou, Vice President of ITTF Africa West Region and former President of the Benin Table Tennis Federation. “Nigeria has a proven track record of hosting international competitions, and teams always look forward to playing here. This tournament marks the beginning of a series of international events in Lagos, and I believe we’ll witness the emergence of new stars alongside the established ones.”

Sonou also commended ITTF Africa President Wahid Enitan Oshodi for his continued support, noting that the increased number of participating teams reflects the growing strength of table tennis in the region.

The 2025 ITTF Africa West Regional Championships promise high-stakes action, intense rivalries, and a celebration of West African table tennis excellence.

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Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna and Egypt’s Hana Goda are among the elite players set to compete at the WTT Star Contender Ljubljana 2025, taking place in Slovenia.

The WTT Star Contender Ljubljana 2025 boasts a prize pool of $300,000 and offers valuable ITTF Table Tennis World Ranking points.

The singles champions will receive $17,000 and 600 points, while the doubles champions will take home $5,500 and 600 points.

This highly anticipated event, hosted at Hala Tivoli in Ljubljana, has attracted a star-studded lineup of table tennis greats.

Aruna, currently ranked 24th in the world and the highest-ranked African player, is seeded No. 14 in the men’s singles and has received a bye into the second round (last 32). He is expected to face the winner between Japan’s Shunsuke Togami and China’s Xu Haidong on Friday, June 20.

Similarly, Goda, seeded No. 15 in the women’s singles, also received a bye into the second round. She is set to face the winner between Japan’s Sakura Yokoi and South Korea’s Joo Cheonhui.

Some of the world’s best players will battle it out over five events in what promises to be a week-long table tennis spectacle.

Leading the charge in the men’s singles is Brazilian star and 2025 World Championships runner-up, Hugo Calderano.

Known as the “Thrill from Brazil,” Calderano returns to Slovenia with bold ambition, looking to defend his title from last year’s triumph.

Joining him are global heavyweights including Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, winner of the Men’s Singles title at WTT Star Contender Doha 2025; Felix Lebrun, champion at WTT Champions Montpellier 2024; and Slovenian home favourite Darko Jorgic.

In the women’s singles, Japan’s Miwa Harimoto headlines the field after claiming the title at WTT Star Contender Chennai 2025. Her compatriot Hina Hayata is also back to defend her title from last year’s Ljubljana tournament.

Other strong contenders include South Korea’s Shin Yubin, seeking her first WTT Star Contender title, as well as Romania’s Bernadette Szocs and China’s Qian Tianyi, both of whom are expected to make deep runs in the competition

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