Nigeria Absent as African Youths Converge in Botswana 

Nigeria is conspicuously absent from the 2024 ITTF Africa Youth Championships, which are currently underway in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.

Despite being one of the leading African teams, Nigeria is not participating in this prestigious event.

In the 2023 edition held in Agadir, Morocco, the Nigerian contingent managed to compete thanks to the support of Friends of Table Tennis, who funded their trip.

However, despite qualifying for the 2023 ITTF World Youth Championships, the team could not honour the event.

Following weeks of preparation, the players were informed that they would not be able to travel due to the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) failing to secure necessary support from the Federal Ministry of Sports Development.

Botswana is making history by hosting the continent’s finest young players for the first time in African table tennis.

Unfortunately, Nigeria, a high-profile team, is missing from the action at the championships, which began on Monday, July 15. The Botho University Hall in Gaborone serves as the venue for this exciting event.

Having previously hosted regional championships, Botswana is thrilled to stage one of Africa’s elite tournaments. Motswagole Kudzanani, President of the Botswana Table Tennis Association (BTTA), emphasized that hosting the tournament would lead to all-round improvement for table tennis.

He stated, “Hosting provides a platform to build our capacity and expose our athletes to international standards. It also increases our brand visibility, showcasing our capabilities and helping us identify areas for growth.”

This year’s championships feature an increased number of participating nations compared to the 2023 edition. The participating countries include Botswana, Congo DRC, Ghana, Egypt, Cameroon, Kenya, Uganda, Lesotho, Benin Republic, Guinea, Madagascar, Namibia, South Africa, Rwanda, Tunisia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Furthermore, the seven-day continental championships serves as African qualifiers for the 2024 ITTF World Youth Championships, scheduled to take place in Helsingborg, Sweden, in November.