Sports
19 Days To AACT 2026: Ekwueme Says Winning Coveted Trophy Is a Matter of National Pride
Joel Ajayi
With 19 days to the 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT), Past President of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN) and AACT Trustee for West and Central Africa, Ekanem Ekwueme, has described winning the coveted continental trophy as a source of immense pride for any participating country.
Ekwueme, who has been involved in the development of women’s golf in Nigeria, says the championship offers participating players an experience that remains memorable long after the competition has ended.
Describing the AACT as the “Nations Cup” of women’s golf, she noted that the tournament carries significance beyond individual performances, as players compete not only for personal achievement but also to defend their countries’ honour and secure a place in the history of African golf.
According to her, the opportunity to represent one’s country at such a prestigious continental championship is a special privilege, while winning the trophy represents the ultimate reward for the players and their national golf communities.
Ekwueme expects the battle for the 2026 title in Abuja to be fiercely contested, with several countries having the experience, talent and championship pedigree to challenge for the top prize.
South Africa, a serial winner of the competition, is expected to be among the leading contenders as the country seeks to maintain its impressive record in African women’s golf.
Egypt and Morocco are also countries to watch, having previously hosted and won the championship. Their achievements offer an example of what can be accomplished when a country combines the advantage of hosting with the determination to compete successfully on home soil.
For Nigeria, the prospect of winning the title at home presents an opportunity to turn the advantage of hosting into a historic sporting achievement.
Ekwueme believes the records of Egypt and Morocco should serve as inspiration for Nigeria as the country prepares to welcome Africa’s leading women’s golf teams to Abuja.
Nigeria will host the championship for the third time, following previous editions in 1996 at Ikoyi Club 1938 in Lagos and in 2010 at the IBB International Golf & Country Club in Abuja.
While hosting the tournament is itself a significant achievement, winning the trophy on home soil would add another dimension to Nigeria’s participation and create a lasting milestone for the country’s women’s golf movement.
The challenge, however, will be considerable, with Nigeria set to face opponents determined to claim the continental crown. The home team will need to combine technical preparation, competitive discipline and the ability to handle the pressure that comes with representing the host nation.
The tournament also provides an important platform for Nigerian golfers to measure themselves against some of the continent’s strongest players, gain valuable competitive experience and demonstrate the progress of women’s golf in the country.
Beyond the quest for the trophy, Ekwueme views the AACT as an event that creates lasting memories and strengthens the bonds among golfers from different African countries.
The championship brings together players who share a passion for the game while representing different national identities, creating opportunities for friendship, cultural exchange and the development of women’s golf across the continent.
For Nigeria, hosting the competition offers an opportunity to showcase its golf facilities, hospitality and capacity to stage a major continental sporting event.
The 2026 edition is scheduled for November 2 to 7 at the IBB International Golf & Country Club, Abuja, with participating nations expected to compete for one of the most prestigious honours in African women’s amateur golf.
As the countdown enters its final three weeks, the attention will increasingly turn to the teams preparing to contend for the trophy and the country that will ultimately emerge as continental champion.
For Nigeria, the ambition is not only to host Africa but to make the most of the opportunity to compete for the title on home soil.
19 DAYS TO GO. AFRICA IS COMING TO ABUJA.
News
Cyclists, Athletes, Fitness Communities others Set for 5th Chaingang MTB Festival in Abuja
By Joel Ajayi
Cyclists, professional athletes and fitness enthusiasts are set to converge on Abuja for the 5th edition of the Abuja Chaingang Mountain Bike (MTB) Festival and 10th year anniversary of the the club scheduled for November 21–22, 2026, in the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Chairman of the MTB Festival Organising Committee, Mr Olatunji Olanrewaju, said the event would mark a significant milestone in the development of competitive cycling in Nigeria.
Organised by the Chaingang Cycling Club Abuja in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN), the festival will introduce Cross-Country Short Track (XCC) and Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) race courses, alongside the unveiling of the Sunrise Hills MTB Course in Asokoro, bordering Guzape.
The organisers said the new courses feature natural terrain, steep climbs, rocky descents, switchbacks and panoramic ridgelines designed to challenge riders and promote competitive mountain biking.
The festival, adopted as Nigeria’s national qualifier for international mountain biking competitions, will provide cyclists with opportunities to compete for qualification slots for major championships, with prize money available across race categories.
Olanrewaju disclosed that the festival had attracted several cycling teams over the years, including foreign participants in almost every edition, expressing optimism that the 2026 event would attract even greater participation.
He called on sponsors, government agencies, security institutions and multinational organisations to support the festival, noting that their participation would help strengthen Nigeria’s outdoor sports industry and enhance the country’s international sporting profile.
Also speaking, the Technical Director of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria, Bashiru Mohammed, described the festival as an important platform for developing cycling and strengthening the country’s cycling community.
Mohammed said the competition was open to cyclists and cycling groups across Nigeria and beyond, adding that the organisers would share information about the event with international partners to encourage wider participation.
He explained that the professional races would feature male and female competitors in the XCC and XCO categories, while the programme would also include activities for children.
According to him, the competition would help Nigerian cyclists prepare for next year’s championship for emerging countries, which he likened to an Olympic-style gathering of athletes from different sporting disciplines.
In his remarked, the CFN Secretary-General of the federation, Joel Akinuwa, said prize money remained an important feature of the festival, noting that participants in the previous edition received financial rewards in addition to opportunities to qualify for the African Championships and other major international competitions.
Akinuwa added that winners across the various categories in the 2026 edition would also receive prize money, providing further motivation for cyclists to compete.
Beyond the elite races, the two-day festival will feature a trail run, children’s mountain bike race, veterans’ recreational ride, city-wide fitness ride and hiking campout.
The event will also incorporate corporate social responsibility initiatives, including the Jigakushi School Restoration Project and the Road Safety Street Mural Initiative, aimed at promoting community development and road safety awareness.
The organisers said the festival would bring together professional athletes, recreational cyclists, families, young people, fitness enthusiasts, media organisations and international observers, while promoting tourism, youth development and community engagement.
They added that the long-term vision was to position Abuja and Nigeria as leading mountain biking destinations in Africa, capable of hosting international competitions and attracting athletes from across the continent and beyond.
Registration for the 2026 Abuja Chaingang MTB Festival is ongoing through the club’s website, www.chaingang.ng.
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