Abia State has earned praise from the Nigeria Teqball Federation after staging the 2026 World Championship Qualifiers in Aba, underlining its growing role in the development of the sport across the country.
The three-day event took place at Aba Sports Club 1926 between October 29 and 31, attracting competitors from 14 states. The successful athletes secured places at the World Teqball Championships in Budapest, Hungary, scheduled for December 1-6.
Quick facts
- About 80 athletes entered across five categories.
- Thirteen referees worked at the qualifiers in Aba.
- Delta State topped the medal table with three gold, three silver and one bronze.
- Abia placed second, while Rivers State finished third.
- Five gold-medal entries will fly Nigeria’s flag in Budapest.
Federation vice-president Ndudi Edede, representing president Habu Gumel, credited Governor Alex Otti with providing conditions that have allowed Teqball to flourish in the state.
Edede pointed to Abia’s hosting of the National Teqball League in March, as well as the World Championship qualifying tournament. The state has also provided playing equipment for the sport.
“It is therefore not out of place to say that Abia, presently, is home of Teqball in Nigeria,” Edede said.
He added that Teqball has benefited from football’s huge following in Nigeria, with many participants coming from a football background. “One thing that helped is that it is a good game and 90 per cent of the Teqball players are footballers,” he said.
Edede urged the players who booked World Championship spots to make Nigeria proud when they compete in Budapest.
Gumel said the Aba tournament formed part of the federation’s push to spread Teqball and create more international pathways for Nigerian competitors. He also acknowledged Aba Sports Club and its president, Chief Nkene Enukeme, for making the facility available.
Technical and Development chief Abdul Bajeh said the event featured roughly 80 registered athletes in five events, overseen by 13 officials. He hailed the involvement of Lagos and Akwa Ibom, particularly after Lagos collected bronze medals in its first appearance.
Bajeh also highlighted the emergence of younger players. Abia’s 11-year-old Fareed Alebiosu reached the bronze-medal contest, while a 14-year-old competitor represented Rivers State.
“The sport is growing rapidly, and it is very competitive. It has improved a whole lot. We have athletes who have travelled abroad through their involvement in Teqball,” Bajeh said.
He said Teqball now has participants in between 28 and 30 states, while calling for stronger media coverage and commercial backing. Bajeh also hopes the discipline can eventually be included as a medal sport at the National Sports Festival.
Delta claimed overall honours after winning three gold medals, three silvers and one bronze. Nigeria’s leading player, Victor Oyemade, defeated Delta’s Mikel Enebechukwu 12-8, 12-5 to take the men’s singles title.
Rejoice Jatau captured the women’s singles crown with a 12-8, 12-7 victory over Efemena Ekeke. Oyemade and Jatau later combined in mixed doubles, overcoming Abia pair Ihiedioha McBlaise and Mariam Abdulrasheed 12-4, 12-10.
Hosts Abia ended the competition in second place with one gold, two silver medals and one bronze. Aganmuyi Omokehinde and Mariam Abdurasheed secured the women’s doubles title, beating Delta duo Ekeke and Miracle Edafe 12-10, 12-9.
Rivers finished third on one gold and three bronze medals. Joshua Musa and Ikoko Andrew won the men’s doubles after recovering from a set down to beat Abia’s Khalid Yahyah and Tobi Mejedji 8-12, 12-5, 12-9.
Lagos also left Aba with a bronze medal. Nigeria’s five gold-winning entries will represent the country at the Budapest World Championships.
