By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar
Stakeholders in Nigerian table tennis have called for increased sponsorship of the sport, particularly at the grassroots, to enable young talents compete internationally and develop the country’s next generation of champions.
The call was made at the just-concluded sixth edition of the Offiong Edem Table Tennis Foundation Championship held at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar, where about 120 teenage players from states across the South-South and South-East participated in the three-day competition.
Seven-time Nigerian champion and six-time African champion, Offiong Edem, who represented Nigeria at five Olympic Games, including the Paris 2024 Olympics, said inadequate funding remained one of the major obstacles confronting the development of young table tennis players.
Edem, who has sponsored the tournament for six consecutive years, said her continued investment in the competition was driven by her passion for the sport and desire to give back to society by creating opportunities for talented children.
According to her, many promising Nigerian players are unable to travel abroad for competitions, leaving them at a disadvantage against their peers who have access to better funding, equipment and exposure.
She appealed to individuals and corporate organisations to invest in table tennis, stressing that young players needed international exposure to understand the standards of the game and compete effectively at the global level.
Edem said her dream was to transform the competition into an annual national event through which talented Nigerian children could launch their careers, adding that the seventh edition next year would hopefully attract participants from across the country and feature bigger prize money, while remaining in Calabar.
Former Chairman of Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Anthony Akan, commended Edem for sustaining the tournament and discovering young talents, urging other successful individuals to emulate her by investing in the development of upcoming athletes.
Also, Mr Mfon Ekpo, proprietor of a table tennis academy in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, described sponsorship as the major challenge facing the sport, calling on successful players, corporate organisations, government and other stakeholders to support its development.
Ekpo said the tournament had demonstrated that Nigeria was blessed with talented young players capable of making a mark internationally if given the necessary support and exposure.
The championship which ended with pomp on Saturday 15 August 2026, featured junior and senior boys and girls categories, including Under-13 and Under-15 events, with winners receiving medals and cash prizes ranging from N30,000 to N100,000 and above.
The stakeholders urged continued investment in the sport to ensure that the talents discovered at grassroots level are not lost for lack of funding.
