Nigeria and Egypt have reinforced their status as Africa’s para table tennis powerhouses after clinching multiple gold medals at the 2025 ITTF-Africa Para Championships held in Giza, Egypt, thereby securing qualification slots for the 2026 World Para Championships in Bangkok, Thailand.
The championship, which attracted top para-athletes from across the continent, including Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Cameroon, and Côte d’Ivoire, served as both a showcase of elite talent and a pathway to the global stage.
Nigeria emerged as the overall leader with six gold medals, narrowly surpassing host Egypt’s haul of five. Côte d’Ivoire also left its mark through an impressive performance by Bayala Jean Pierre, whose silver medal finish in the singles category added competitiveness to the event.
Leading Nigeria’s charge was 2024 Paralympic bronze medallist Ogunkunle Isau, who delivered a stellar performance in the Men’s Singles Classes 4–5. He was strongly supported by Adesope Abiola Wali, Farinloye Victor, and Lawal Kehinde, all of whom claimed gold in their respective singles events.
Isau also proved invaluable in doubles, partnering with Oputa Kate to claim the Mixed Doubles Class 10 title, while the duo of Adesope Abiola Wali and Lawal Kehinde dominated the Mixed Doubles Classes 14–20.
Egypt matched Nigeria stride-for-stride in several categories, with Ramadan Khaled securing gold in Men’s Singles Classes 1–3 and Youssef Sayed overpowering Abdelmoneim Abousteit in the Men’s Singles Classes 6–7. The Egyptian women’s team also celebrated gold medals through Abdelwahab Abdelrahman and Mahmoud Faiza.
In one of the tournament’s most thrilling moments, Egypt’s Youssef Sayed and Abdelwahab Abdelrahman edged Nigeria’s pairing of Adesope Abiola Wali and Agunbiade Tajudeen 3–2 to claim the Men’s Doubles MD18 title on the final day.
Tournament Director Amr Fahmy hailed the event as a major success, highlighting improved competition standards and growing participation across Africa.
“We are hopeful that future editions will attract even greater participation, further strengthening the growth and visibility of this championship,” he stated.
By the close of the competition, eight athletes had officially secured qualification tickets to Bangkok 2026, while additional qualification slots will be determined through African rankings in line with ITTF guidelines, ensuring wider continental representation.
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