Nigerian Table Tennis Team Withdraws From African Championship Qualifiers Over Due To Lack Of Fund

Nigerian Table Tennis Team Withdraws From African Championship Qualifiers Over Due To Lack Of Fund

Sampson Adedeji

Nigeria has withdrawn from the qualifiers for the 2026 African Table Tennis Championships after the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) cited a lack of funds as the reason for its decision, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The qualification tournament was scheduled to hold in Conakry, Guinea, with participating teams battling for places at the African Table Tennis Championships in Morocco this October.

NTTF President, Mr. Adesoji Tayo, revealed that the federation made every effort to ensure the country's participation but was unable to secure the necessary funds.

According to Tayo, the soaring cost of flight tickets, combined with the absence of financial support from the National Sports Commission (NSC), made it impossible for the Nigerian team to travel to Guinea.

As a result, Nigeria will miss the qualification event, a development that represents a major setback for the country's table tennis programme and denies its players the opportunity to compete for continental championship spots.

The withdrawal has also renewed concerns over the persistent funding challenges facing Nigerian sports federations and the effect of inadequate financial support on the nation's participation in international competitions.