By VIVIAN AHANMISI

The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) has named the players who will represent the country at a series of continental and regional tournaments in Ghana and Guinea later this month.

This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos by the federation’s Media Department.

The federation named Umar Ayoola, Habeeb Adebayo, Emmanuella Shaibu and Elizabeth Eminike for the 2026 Africa Hopes Week and Challenge, scheduled to hold in Accra, Ghana, between July 13 and July 18.

For the West African Regional Championships in Guinea, Matthew Kuti will captain the Nigerian team alongside Abdulbasit Abdulfatai, Funmilayo Ojo and Khadijat Okanlawon.

Nigeria will be aiming to defend its men’s and women’s singles titles at the tournament, scheduled to hold between July 15 and July 18, where players from across West Africa will compete for singles and team honours.

Kuti will also lead Nigeria’s boys’ U-19 team to the African Youth Championships. Other members of the team are Sultan Agunbiade, Matthew Fabunmi and Quadri Atunwon.

The girls’ U-19 team comprises Funmilayo Ojo, Khadijat Okanlawon, Kabirat Ayoola and Khadijah Musa.

In the boys’ U-15 category, Nigeria will be represented by Joseph Victor, Samson Joshua, Joseph Marvelous and Umar Ayoola.

The girls’ U-15 team comprises Aishat Rabiu, Aziza Sezuo, Chinenye Okafor and Elizabeth Emelike.

NTTF President, Adesoji Tayo, said the players were carefully selected and adequately prepared during a training camp held at Babcock University.

Tayo thanked the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Afolarin Ojewole, for hosting the camp, noting that the facilities and conducive environment provided the players with an ideal setting for their final preparations.

Coach Dotun Omoniyi, who headed the technical team during the training camp, expressed confidence in the teams’ ability to perform well at the tournaments.

“I am confident that all the teams will perform well at the tournaments because the camping exercise has helped the players adapt to new techniques in table tennis.

“We are not going there just to make up the numbers; we are going to compete for titles,” Omoniyi said as the Africa Hopes Week squad departed for Accra.

The training camp will continue this week for the remaining players, while the Guinea-bound team is expected to depart on July 14.

The contingent for the African Youth Championships will leave Nigeria on July 18 ahead of the tournament, which begins on July 20 in Accra. (NAN)