Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has described Nigeria’s emergence as host of the 2028 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Championships as a major milestone for the country’s sports development and a significant achievement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.

Nigeria secured the hosting rights at the African Table Tennis Federation’s Annual General Meeting in Morocco, defeating Tunisia by 23 votes to 15. 

The country was also awarded the hosting rights for the 2027 Africa Para Table Tennis Championships, further strengthening its position as an emerging destination for major international sporting competitions.

Olopade said the double hosting success reflected growing international confidence in Nigeria’s capacity to organise major sporting events and aligned with the federal government’s commitment to repositioning the country’s sports sector.

“This was one of the clear mandates Mr President gave to Mallam Shehu Dikko and I when he appointed us to revamp the country’s sports landscape to make Nigeria more attractive as an international sports destination,” Olopade said.

The NSC boss explained that hosting international competitions remained a critical component of the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy (RHINSE), which prioritises sports production as a means of generating economic value rather than limiting the country to sports consumption.

“One of the pillars of our RHINSE agenda is concentrating on sports production, which is the hosting of major international competitions rather than only sports consumption,” he stated.

Olopade noted that Nigeria had hosted several international sporting competitions and events in Lagos, Abuja, Abeokuta and Abia State over the past two years, contributing to the country’s sports economy drive and creating opportunities for economic growth.

According to him, these events have demonstrated the potential of sports to contribute to Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP), attract investment and strengthen the country’s reputation within the international sporting community.

He assured the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and stakeholders across Africa that Nigeria would deliver a world class championship in 2028, expressing the country’s determination to set a standard that could serve as a reference point for future competitions.

The hosting rights come as Nigeria continues to strengthen its profile as a destination for major international sporting events. The country is also preparing to host the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Congress in Abuja and the CAF Awards in Lagos.

Olopade’s remarks underline the NSC’s broader ambition to use international sports competitions as instruments of economic development, tourism promotion and global engagement, while positioning Nigeria to play a more prominent role in the organisation of major continental and international sporting events.