Former Lagos State Governor and ex-Federal Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), is set to serve as guest of honour at the grand finale of the 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Cup, taking place at the Borteyman Sports Complex in Accra.
Key takeaways
- Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) will attend the final of the 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Cup in Accra.
- The event is branded as the Babatunde Raji Fashola (BRF) Cup to reflect his efforts to expand table tennis across Africa, including the launch of the Lagos Table Tennis Classics in 2013.
- Wahid Oshodi, president of ITTF Africa, will head the federation’s Executive Committee during the tournament.
- Nigeria’s Matthew Kuti enters the boys’ U-19 singles after beating top-seeded Egypt at the Africa Youth Championships.
- Egypt and Nigeria have already booked places for Africa at the 2026 ITTF World Youth Championships in Istanbul through their team results.
BRF Cup finale in Accra draws top ITTF Africa leadership
The two-day competition carries Fashola’s name, the Babatunde Raji Fashola (BRF) Cup, recognising his contribution to table tennis’s development on the continent. His work has been linked in particular to the start of the Lagos Table Tennis Classics in 2013, a move credited with boosting the sport’s profile and pathways for emerging players.
ITTF Africa president Wahid Oshodi will lead the federation’s Executive Committee among the dignitaries expected to join Fashola. The gathering will also include federation leadership and other guests who will be in attendance to support Africa’s young talents.
Beyond the immediate match action, the youth event is designed to put the spotlight on rising players and to intensify competitive standards across Africa’s age-group category. Organisers also view the tournament as having the potential to grow into a regular global stop on the calendar in the long run.
Singles headlines and qualification impact from Africa Youth Championships
Heading into the Accra showcase, Nigeria’s Matthew Kuti is in strong form for the boys’ U-19 singles, following his role in sending Nigeria past top-seeded Egypt at the Africa Youth Championships. Tunisia’s Wassim Essid, the U-19 boys’ champion from last year, is also expected to be among the leading contenders, with Egypt’s Yara Elbadawy highlighted as a major threat in the girls’ singles draw.
Elsewhere in the age groups, Uganda’s Joseph Sebatindira and Tunisia’s Ela Saidi are positioned at the top of the U-15 rankings. The girls’ U-19 event promises further intrigue as Algerian siblings Jade Morice and Tania Morice are anticipated to challenge strongly for honours.
The tournament has already produced meaningful qualification consequences. Egypt and Nigeria secured Africa’s slots at the 2026 ITTF World Youth Championships in Istanbul, scheduled for 21–28 November, after finishing on top in the team events at the Africa Youth Championships. Egypt’s qualification included its U-15 boys’ and girls’ teams and its U-19 girls’ squad, while Nigeria’s U-19 boys’ team completed Africa’s representatives for the global event.
Higher competition standard and push for global ranking breakthroughs
ITTF Africa deputy president Alfred Bagueka said the level of competition has climbed sharply this year, stressing that even teams not viewed as immediate favourites have shown stronger depth than in previous editions. He suggested the tournament’s intensity reflects a broader improvement across the continent’s youth system.
Looking ahead to Istanbul, Bagueka urged African players to continue moving up the world rankings. He noted that since Omar Assar and Quadri Aruna’s peak years, only a limited number of African players have managed to reach the global top 20, and he expressed hope that the current generation can help close that gap.
