Nigeria’s leading table tennis players will converge on Osun State this week as the 6th Michael and Felicia Alabi Memorial Table Tennis Tournament gets underway in Otan Ayegbaju.
The competition, scheduled from April 13 to 17, has grown into one of the country’s premier domestic events, attracting more than 300 players from across Nigeria.
Originally established in honour of the late Michael and Felicia Alabi, the tournament has evolved into a key platform for discovering and developing emerging talents in Nigerian table tennis.
Defending men’s singles champion Abdulbasit Abdulfatai of Kwara State will be among the headline acts, aiming to retain his title in the absence of national champion Matthew Kuti and Muiz Adegoke, who are preparing for the ITTF World Championships in London later this month.
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A total of 14 events will be contested across singles, doubles, mixed doubles and veteran categories, covering U-15, men’s and women’s divisions. Organisers have also increased the prize pool to ₦5 million, up from ₦3.5 million in the previous edition.
Tournament referee John Peters described this year’s turnout as impressive, particularly with the growing number of young players competing, highlighting the tournament’s importance in shaping the future of the sport.
The competition is organised by the Osun State Table Tennis Association under the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, with support from the Michael and Felicia Alabi Foundation. Matches will take place at the Idera Multi-Purpose Hall in Otan Ayegbaju.
With several top stars absent, attention will also be on women’s singles champion Hope Udoaka of Cross River State as she looks to defend her title in what is expected to be a fiercely competitive tournament.
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