Federation plans big for table tennis in northern Nigeria

The newly elected president of the National Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Tayo Adesoji, has unveiled an ambitious plan to expand and strengthen the development of table tennis across Northern Nigeria, saying the region has suffered years of neglect in the sport’s national growth. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Daily Trust, Adesoji emphasized that the […]

The newly elected president of the National Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Tayo Adesoji, has unveiled an ambitious plan to expand and strengthen the development of table tennis across Northern Nigeria, saying the region has suffered years of neglect in the sport’s national growth.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Daily Trust, Adesoji emphasized that the future of table tennis in the country depends on intentional investment in areas where participation remains low.

According to him, the sport cannot achieve national prominence if more than half of the country remains on the sidelines.

“Tennis is not just a southern game, we want players from the north also, so a lot of investment is going towards the North. When you have over 50% of Nigerians not playing your sport, you’re not doing well. So, we need to go to the North,” he said.

Adesoji argued that the NTTF must become more visible in the region and operate beyond indoor facilities that are often unavailable in many states.

He noted that table-tennis infrastructure across the country should be supported by private individuals, a situation he described as sustainable for long-term national development.

“Virtually everything that has to do with table tennis is privately owned as it is now the floor, the surroundings, the board, the bat. You can’t get anywhere like that,” he said.

He outlined the plans on infrastructural renewal, describing it as a major step to create a more conducive environment for the players.

“We want to distribute more equipment to willing states, states that are producing talents, not just any state,” he said.

Adesoji added that while sponsorship remains a crucial part of the federation’s plans, the NTTF will push ahead regardless of funding gaps.