Sports

Three Days to AACT 2026, Omon Isemede Confirms Accreditation, Media Readiness

Published

1 day ago

October 30, 2026

Cyril Ogar

Nigeria – With just three days to the 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT), Chairperson of the Accreditation and Media Committee, Omon Isemede, has declared her committee ready for the continental championship, expressing confidence in the arrangements put in place for a seamless tournament.

Isemede said the accreditation and registration processes had been completed smoothly, with technology playing a key role in ensuring efficiency, accuracy and proper coordination across the different categories of participants.

She disclosed that accreditation arrangements for all categories had been properly handled, adding that the committee’s decision to commence preparations early had contributed significantly to the progress recorded.

According to her, starting early gave the committee sufficient time to plan, coordinate and address the various requirements ahead of the arrival of participating teams, officials, media representatives and other stakeholders.

Isemede also identified the strong working relationship among the different committees of the Local Organising Committee as a major factor behind their progress, describing the level of cooperation and coordination as encouraging.

She commended the leadership of the President of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN) and Chairperson of the AACT 2026 Local Organising Committee, Dr Lami Onayi Ahmed, for providing an enabling environment that allowed committees to work effectively and deliver on their responsibilities.

The committee’s readiness marks another important step in Nigeria’s preparations to host the continental women’s golf championship, which will bring together golfers from across Africa to compete for national honours.

Nigeria will host the All Africa Challenge Trophy for the third time, following the 1996 edition at Ikoyi Club 1938 in Lagos and the 2010 championship at the IBB International Golf & Country Club in Abuja.

The 2026 tournament is scheduled for November 2 to 7 at the IBB International Golf & Country Club, Abuja, under the slogan “Uniting Africa through the greens.”

With three days remaining, the focus is now on final preparations as Nigeria gets set to welcome Africa for a championship that celebrates women’s golf, sporting excellence and continental unity.

3 DAYS TO GO.

AACT 2026: UNITING AFRICA THROUGH THE GREENS.

AFRICA IS COMING TO ABUJA.

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Sports

CityRoxx Targets Sustainable Table Tennis Ecosystem for Nigerian Players

Published

3 hours ago

October 31, 2026

The Gleamer

By Joel Ajayi

The Chief Executive Officer and founder of CityRoxx Table Tennis, Giwa Lukman, says his organisation is committed to building a sustainable ecosystem that will provide Nigerian table tennis players with opportunities for talent discovery, development, exposure and career progression.

Lukman made this known during the opening ceremony of the maiden CityRoxx City Smash Open Table Tennis Championship in Abuja, where he outlined his vision of creating a connected sporting community that supports players beyond competitions.

The six-day championship, holding at the Mo Arena Basketball Court in the Federal Capital Territory, has attracted more than 200 players from 33 clubs and over 27 states across the country.

According to Lukman, CityRoxx is not merely interested in organising tournaments but seeks to establish a structure that will support players at every stage of their sporting careers.

“We understand that the future of table tennis cannot depend on competitions alone. We need a structure that supports players before, during and after competitions.

“We want a system where a young player can be discovered, trained, registered, tracked and given opportunities to grow.

“We want players to have proper profiles, competition records and rankings. We want clubs to have a stronger network, while coaches, schools, sponsors and organisers become part of one connected sporting community,” he said.

He said that CityRoxx was developing a digital platform through its website, www.cityroxtabletennis.com, which would serve as a central hub for players, clubs and other stakeholders.

He explained that the platform would enable players to register, build their profiles, follow competitions, access rankings and remain connected to opportunities within the sport.

Lukman added that the organisation was also committed to expanding table tennis through school programmes, grassroots development, tournaments, media engagement and strategic partnerships.

He emphasised the importance of giving Nigerian players greater visibility, noting that their performances and achievements deserved wider recognition.

The CityRoxx founder also called on corporate organisations and private investors to support the development of table tennis, stressing that sponsorship should go beyond branding and become an investment in a growing sporting ecosystem.

He expressed appreciation to the championship sponsors, Kingfem and FCMB, for believing in the vision and supporting the maiden edition.

According to him, their commitment demonstrates the importance of private-sector participation in sports development.

Lukman further encouraged participating athletes to embrace discipline, respect their opponents and officials, and demonstrate good sportsmanship throughout the competition.

He described the championship as an important milestone for Nigerian table tennis, adding that the vision was to build stronger competitions, expand school programmes, strengthen club networks and establish a functional ranking system.

Declaring the championship open on behalf of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) the Vice President, Hon. Salisu Malantariki, represented by Adamu Usman Ahmed, commended the organisers for their initiative and commitment to the growth of table tennis in Nigeria

Ahmed said the future of Nigerian table tennis depended on collective commitment to grassroots development, improved infrastructure, stronger clubs and regular competitive opportunities.

He urged government institutions, corporate organisations, private investors and sporting communities to support initiatives capable of discovering and nurturing young talents.

The opening ceremony also featured exhibition matches, with Abdulmalik Taofeek defeating his father, Hamzat Taofeek, 2-1 in an entertaining father-and-son encounter.

In the women’s exhibition match, one of Nigeria’s leading players, Ajoke Ojomu, defeated Aminat Sani 2-0.

Lukman expressed optimism that the maiden championship would mark the beginning of a bigger initiative capable of transforming the table tennis landscape and creating lasting opportunities for the next generation of Nigerian players.

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