Sports

NTF optimistic of good outing at 2024 BJK cup Africa in Kenya

Published

2 years ago

April 29, 2024

Jemi Ojo

The Nigeria Tennis Federation ( NTF) says it is optimistic of Nigeria good outing at the upcoming 2024 Billie Jean King ( BJK) Cup Africa in Kenya in June .

Shammah Makpa, the Secretary General of NTF, made the call in an interview in Abuja.

Makpa confidence is charged by the spirit of displayed by the national team players at the just concluded Africa games in Ghana.
“ Our athletes had a strong showing at the recently finished African Games in Ghana. It was excellent, and we are happy with the players who gave it their all.
“ You can see the players’ professionalism, patriotism, and dedication. We were able to reach the performer podium.
“ During the African Games, over 23 countries competed in the tennis competition, with Nigeria setting a record among those who won medals during the game. That was a decent one, then, ” he said.

He said NTF went with four male and four female players. We end up having one sliver and one bronze medal.
“ We are happy with the players’ performance, they gave a strong showing,” he said.
He said the next agenda of the NTF is to ensure that we increase the number of competition across the country.

“ We have the 2024 BJK cup Africa coming up in less than two month from June 10 to June 15.

“ This competition is like the World Cup ,a tournament between national teams in women’s tennis and Nigeria is featuring this year in the Group lll.

“ Our target is to be able to get promotion to the Group ll .With this player, I believe that we will be able to do that.
“ We should be able to do much better even the last BJK Cup Africa that we went in 2023 ,We finished third in the group.

“ With their performance displayed in Ghana, this would help them to do well , I strongly believe we’ll have a good outing at the upcoming 2024 BJK Cup Africa,” he said.
While the male category, the players will not lack home support in the 2024 Davis Cup Africa Group II qualifying rounds after the country ( Nigeria) secured rights to host the event to be staged in Abuja from July 15 to July 20 .
“ Our players qualified from Group IV to Group lll of the Davis Cup alongside Ghana, following a superb run in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2023.
“ In this Group ll is one of the biggest , where players going to compete with the European countries, that is our target ,” he said.

The reports that six nations will grace the tournament Namibia, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin and Nigeria (host)
and will be competing for two slots in Group II during the qualifying round.

Also reports that Kenya will host the 2024 BJK Cup Africa Group III for the second consecutive year after pipping Burundi during the bidding process.
Kenya and Burundi were the only countries to bid for the tournament to be staged from June 10 to June 15.

The winner will be promoted to the BJK Cup Europe /Africa Group II tournament in 2025.

12 nations will grace the tournament; Botswana, Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

The teams will be split into three pools of four with the top four sides meeting in the semifinals

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Sports

Football Fever Hits Abuja as Montage FM 99.7 Launches Maiden Community Tournament November 18

Published

3 hours ago

November 4, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

In its determination to foster unity among communities across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), identify and promote raw football talent, encourage physical fitness and discipline, and tackle youth restiveness, Montage FM 99.7 Abuja has unveiled plans for the Maiden Edition of the Montage Community Football Tournament.

The highly anticipated grassroots competition, themed “Montage FM 99.7: Empowering Youth, Uniting Communities Through Football,” is set to kick off on November 18, 2025, with playoffs across the six Area Councils of the FCT.

The tournament will feature 24 teams, with four teams representing each Area Council, competing for a cash prize of over ₦2 million and other valuable rewards.

However, grand finale scheduled for December 7, 2025, at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, where the top four teams will battle for first, second, and third place honors.

Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, the Cordinator of the Tournament Mr. Raphael Ekpang, described the tournament as a significant initiative aimed at using sports as a tool for unity, youth engagement, and talent discovery across the FCT.

According to him, I am honored to stand before you today to announce the upcoming Montage FCT Community Football Tournament a dynamic grassroots inter-community football competition that promises to unite communities and discover hidden talent across the six Area Councils in the FCT,” Ekpang said.

“This tournament is more than just football; it is a celebration of community spirit and youth empowerment. Our long-term goal is to expand beyond football to include other sports like basketball and athletics in future editions.”

Ekpang further noted that registration and awareness campaigns are currently underway across the six Area Councils, urging interested teams and individuals to participate.

“We are grateful for the support of our sponsors and partners who share our vision of promoting sports development and community engagement within the FCT. We also call on other organizations and individuals to join this noble cause,” he added.

The organizers emphasized that the Montage Community Football Tournament aligns with Montage FM 99.7’s mission to promote peace, unity, and positive engagement among youths while strengthening its brand presence as a youth-driven, community-focused platform.

They encouraged the public to follow updates and live coverage of the tournament through Montage FM 99.7 Abuja and its social media platforms

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