Sports
Maryam Shehu Highlights Economic Prospects as AACT 2026 Countdown Hits 17 Days
Joy Samania
With 17 days to the 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT), attention is turning to the business and economic opportunities the continental women’s golf championship is expected to create, including through a planned Business and Economic Summit.
Maryam Shehu, Chairperson of the Government and Stakeholders Relations Committee for AACT Nigeria 2026, says the summit will provide an important platform for participants to explore business opportunities, build connections and engage in conversations around investment, trade and economic cooperation.
The initiative reflects the broader vision of AACT 2026 as more than a sporting competition, bringing together golf, business, tourism and cultural exchange in a celebration of African unity and shared opportunities.
With golf bringing together players, officials, administrators and other stakeholders from across the continent, the championship presents an opportunity to strengthen professional networks and showcase Abuja as a destination for sporting events, business engagement and tourism.
The Business and Economic Summit is expected to complement the on-course action by creating room for discussions on how sporting events can stimulate economic activity, encourage partnerships and open doors for businesses and other participating stakeholders.
For businesses, entrepreneurs and investors, such engagements can offer opportunities to establish contacts, exchange ideas and explore areas of mutual interest. The gathering also provides a platform to consider how sport can contribute to tourism development, hospitality, service delivery and wider economic relations across African countries.
Shehu’s role in government and stakeholder relations places her at the centre of efforts to connect the championship with relevant institutions, partners and other stakeholders, ensuring that the event’s potential benefits extend beyond the golf course.
The summit also aligns with the spirit of the 2026 championship, whose slogan is “Uniting Africa through the greens.” The message underscores the power of golf to bring people and nations together while creating opportunities for dialogue, collaboration and development.
Nigeria will host the All Africa Challenge Trophy for the third time, following previous editions in Lagos in 1996 and Abuja in 2010. The 2026 championship is scheduled for November 2 to 7 at the IBB International Golf & Country Club, Abuja.
As preparations continue, the focus is increasingly on delivering an event that celebrates women’s golf while showcasing Nigeria’s hospitality, strengthening African connections and highlighting the wider social and economic value of hosting major sporting competitions.
17 DAYS TO GO.
AACT 2026: UNITING AFRICA THROUGH THE GREENS. 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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