Sports

AACT 2026: Abuja Set to Host 30 African Nations as Nigeria Approves ₦547m Budget

Published

1 month ago

September 1, 2026

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria is set to welcome no fewer than 30 African countries to Abuja for the 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT), with organisers putting the combined hosting budget for the prestigious women’s amateur golf championship and the Nigeria Ladies’ Open Championship at ₦547 million.

President of the Ladies’ Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN) and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for AACT Nigeria 2026, Dr Lami Onayi Ahmed, disclosed this on Tuesday at a world press briefing held at the TYB International Resort & Country Club, Abuja.

Ahmed said preparations for the November 2–7 championship had moved from the planning stage to full execution, describing the event as an opportunity for Nigeria to showcase its capacity to host major international sporting competitions while promoting women’s golf, tourism and the country’s cultural heritage.

“The All Africa Challenge Trophy is the premier biennial women’s amateur team championship on the African continent,” Ahmed said, adding that the competition provides an important pathway for the development and international exposure of women and young female golfers.

The championship will take place at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja, with three rounds of competition, cultural activities, delegates’ engagements, a prize presentation and closing banquet scheduled.

The AACT will be followed immediately by the Nigeria Ladies’ Open Championship from November 7–10, extending the international women’s golf programme in the Federal Capital Territory.

Africa Coming to Abuja

Organisers said several countries had confirmed their participation, while discussions with other national golf federations were ongoing.

Ahmed said teams, officials, delegates and supporters from across Africa were expected in Abuja for the championship.

“Africa is coming to Nigeria,” she said, stressing that the organisers were determined to ensure that every participating country feels welcome throughout its stay.

Each participating nation is expected to field three players and a captain, giving an official delegation of at least four people per country, apart from supporters and other guests.

Technical Director of the tournament, Julius Akinwumi Fadairo, said the three-round competition would be contested as a team event, with results counting towards the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

He explained that the AACT differs from conventional individual golf competitions because players compete for their respective countries.

“Players are playing for their country, not themselves. It is a competition amongst nations,” Fadairo said.

₦547m Covers Hosting, Not Prize Money

Fadairo clarified that the ₦547 million projection was not a prize purse but the estimated cost of hosting both the AACT and the Nigeria Ladies’ Open Championship.

He said the budget would cover accommodation, transportation, logistics and other operational requirements for participating delegations.

The Transcorp Hilton Abuja is expected to accommodate teams from the participating countries during the championship.

Fadairo also stressed that support for the tournament could come in both cash and services, with organisations and individuals able to contribute professional expertise and other forms of assistance to reduce the financial burden.

Ahmed, meanwhile, expressed confidence in Nigeria’s readiness to host the continental championship, saying the Local Organising Committee had established various teams to coordinate the different aspects of the event.

She said the committee was working with the Federal Capital Territory Administration, security agencies, corporate organisations and other stakeholders to ensure a successful tournament.

“Nigeria has been entrusted with the responsibility of hosting Africa’s premier women’s amateur golf championship,” Ahmed said. “Our ambition is very simple: to deliver a world-class championship that Nigeria and Africa will be proud of.”

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Sports

AACT 2026: 31 Days to Africa’s Big Sporting Gathering in Abuja

Published

15 hours ago

October 2, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The countdown to the 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT) has officially entered the final month, with just 31 days to go before Africa’s leading women’s team golf championship tees off at the IBB International Golf & Country Club in Abuja.

In a statement signed by the AACT 2026Director of Communication Kayode Adeniyi on Friday in Abuja.

Under the theme “Africa Is Coming to Abuja,” the countdown campaign will spotlight the championship, the participating nations, the players, the host venue and the growing development of women’s golf across the continent.

The 2026 AACT, scheduled for November 2–7, will bring together women’s golfing talent from across Africa for six days of continental competition in Nigeria’s capital.

As preparations continue at the IBB International Golf & Country Club, attention is increasingly turning to Abuja, where the championship will provide a platform for African golfers to compete while also showcasing Nigeria’s hospitality and the country’s growing profile as a destination for major sporting events.

The countdown will feature daily stories, interviews, player and country profiles, tournament facts, behind-the-scenes updates and features on the host venue as the championship draws closer.

The campaign will also highlight the role of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN), the Local Organising Committee and other stakeholders in preparing for the continental championship.

With just 31 days remaining, anticipation is building across the African golfing community as Abuja prepares to welcome the continent’s leading women golfers.

Africa is coming to Abuja.

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