- Team Nigeria departs for Angola to compete in the 2025 Africa Youth Games.
- Tennis squad comprises four junior players led by coach Akinwumi Ogunsakin.
- Two athletes were dropped due to age discrepancies as NSC clamps down on age cheating.
- NTF President Victor Ochei expresses confidence in podium finishes for Nigerian players.
After weeks of preparation, Team Nigeria is ready to depart for Angola to participate in the fourth African Youth Games, tagged Luanda 2025. The multi-sport event, held from December 10 to 20, marks Angola’s first time hosting the Games and coincides with the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence.
Up to 54 African nations will compete, with athletes aged 14 to 17 participating across 33 sports disciplines in six host cities including Luanda, Benguela, and Bengo. The Games aim to promote sports, discover talents, and prepare athletes for future competitions such as the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
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Team Nigeria’s advanced party left Abuja ahead of the main delegation to prepare for the athletes and officials. However, two athletes were dropped by the National Sports Commission (NSC) after discrepancies in their ages were discovered, reflecting the NSC’s strict clampdown on age cheating in Nigerian sports.
Nigeria’s tennis squad, though small with just four junior players, enters the Games with high optimism. Players Goodnews Aina, Khadijat Mohammed, Oluwaseun Ogunsakin, and Ikenna Prosper Okonkwo will be led by coach Akinwumi Ogunsakin.
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Victor Ochei, NTF President, expressed confidence in the players’ ability to achieve podium finishes. “We have prepared well in Abuja, and I am confident our young athletes will make the nation proud,” Ochei said. He urged the team to maintain discipline, professionalism, and the competitive spirit that reflects Nigeria’s sporting reputation.
Ochei also commended the NSC for providing logistics and welfare support, assuring that Nigeria is ready to re-establish itself as a leading force in African tennis.
