Matthew Kuti has emerged as Nigeria’s second-highest ranked male table tennis player in the world, overtaking 2019 African Games champion Olajide Omotayo in the latest International Table Tennis Federation World Ranking released for Week 32 of the 2025 season, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Kuti climbed six places to 194th globally after his title-winning performance at the 2025 West Africa Regional Championships in Lagos, which earned him 75 ranking points.

He also added 10 points from the ITTF World Championships Finals in Doha and four from the WTT Contender Lagos, bringing his total to 89 points.

Omotayo, by contrast, fell 37 places to 198th after a disappointing run in Lagos. He now holds 78 points and is at risk of falling outside the world’s top 200.

Meanwhile, Quadri Aruna reclaimed his position as Africa’s top-ranked table tennis player, moving up three places to 21st with 1,185 points.

Aruna, who last competed at the United States Smash in July, regained his continental status despite recent inactivity, as the ITTF’s rolling 12-month system phased out older points for rival players.

Egypt’s Omar Assar, who previously held the number one African spot, has now slipped behind Aruna in the global standings.

Also, just outside the top 200 are Abdulbasit Abdulfatai and Taiwo Mati, ranked 205th and 213th, respectively.

Abdulfatai’s two-place rise was powered by a strong performance in Lagos, where he earned all 74 of his ranking points. Fifty-five of those came from a runner-up finish at the West Africa Regional Championships, and 19 from the WTT Contender event.

Mati remains Nigeria’s most journeyed participant, retaining his 213th spot. He earned 35 points with a Round of 16 finish at WTT Contender Lagos, the joint-highest by an African player at the event, and 25 more from his semi-final run at the West Africa Regional Championships.

His global points total is further padded by performances in Cagliari (3 points), Muscat, Tunis, and Skopje (2 points each).

Muizz Adegoke also climbed two places to 232nd, with a total of 59 ranking points.

In the women’s category, Fatimo Bello remains Nigeria’s highest-ranked female player, despite falling 17 spots to 134th.

Her semi-final finish at the 2025 ITTF African Cup in Tunis contributed 175 of her 189 total points. The rest came from her performances in Lagos and Doha.

Ajoke Ojomu moved up five places to 153rd, gathering 120 points. Her victory at the West Africa Regional Championships accounted for 75 points, while 35 came from the WTT Contender Lagos and 10 from the World Championships in Doha.

Aminat Fashola completes Nigeria’s top three female players, sitting 174th with 94 points.

The ITTF World Ranking system continues to serve as a crucial metric for tournament seedings, Olympic qualifications, and the overall assessment of players’ standing on the global stage.