By Daily Sports Nigeria on December 12, 2025

Aligning with the renewed developmental agenda of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, the organisers of the annual Daniel Ford International Youth Invitational Table Tennis Championships have introduced a new U-12 category for the third edition of the event, scheduled to hold from December 17 to 20 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Since its inception in 2023, the tournament has featured U-15 and U-19 events. The addition of the U-12 category aims to provide cadet players with an opportunity to showcase their talent and position themselves for future consideration by national coaches.

Chairman of Daniel Ford, Yemi Edun, expressed satisfaction with the growth and impact of the competition.

“The tournament has been fantastic. It’s thrilling, engaging, and watching players progress to win bigger tournaments has been very encouraging. I’ve been quite pleased with how things have gone so far,” he said.

Organised in collaboration with the NTTF, the championship has rapidly become a notable fixture in Nigeria’s youth sports calendar, producing emerging athletes who now form part of the national team structure.

In 2024, the organisers introduced a pre-tournament clinic designed to enhance players’ technical and mental readiness, further enriching the event beyond its competitive elements.

“We hope this tournament revitalizes our pipeline for elite-tier players. In sports, early mastery is crucial—some say by age 13, you should already be on the path. Nigeria, being the largest Black nation on earth, has immense talent to tap into. I fully envisage a future within the next seven years where Nigeria leads Africa in table tennis,” Edun added.

NTTF President, Adesoji Tayo, commended the tournament’s influence in discovering and developing home-grown prospects who now make up a significant portion of the country’s senior teams.

“Most of the players who featured in the Daniel Ford tournament are now part of our national teams for men and women. Our new female team is largely made up of products of this competition.

“Events like this complement the federation’s efforts in talent discovery, and it is left to us to nurture them to stardom. Personally, I want to thank Mr. Yemi Edun for his genuine interest in table tennis and for the initiatives that have made this tournament a success annually. We look forward to another exciting edition as players eagerly anticipate the opportunities attached to the event.”

Last year, Abdulbasit Abdulfatai and Rabiat Ayoola emerged champions of the U-19 categories.

Source Punch Ng

Posted December 12, 2025

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