Nigerian Open: Top Class Players To Battle For N14M

No fewer than thirty top class table tennis players will battle for $46,000 in this year's ITTF World Tour Nigerian Open (Lagos 2016).

The annual event has been scheduled to hold from May 18 to 22nd at the Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, Nigeria.

The 2016 edition, which is the fourth will be sponsored by Premier Lotto, as the likes of Haruna Quadri and Segun Toriola amongst other stars hope to light up Lagos during the events.

This partnership with the ITTF/NTTF means that Premier Lotto becomes the title sponsor of the tournament for this year.

According to the President, Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Wahid Oshodi, this is an excellent development for table tennis as the sport is getting a much needed boost from the support of Premier Lotto and furthermore it shows their continued commitment to sports development

"We are very happy that Premier Lotto is coming on board alongside the Lagos State Government that has been the backbone of the tournament since inception and this is a big boost for the sport in Nigeria."

"The competition will now be known as The ITTF Premier Lotto Nigerian Open. We are expecting over 30 of the world’s top players and Olympic qualifiers including our own Aruna Quadri and the peerless Segun Toriola among others."

"We must also thank those companies that have continued to support this event as it continues to grow from year to year. We hope that other corporate bodies will come on board to emulate Premier Lotto as we are getting closer to the kick off of the competition." Oshodi said.

The Nigerian Open is the foremost Challenge Series tournament in the ITTF calendar with participants jostling for $46,000 (N13.8m) this year.

Six events have been listed by the world table tennis ruling body and they are singles (men and women); doubles (men and women) as well as U-21 boys and girls.

The players will be using the tournament to garner world ranking points as well as make it to the end-of-the-year ITTF World Tour Finals.

The tournament which will be heralded in by the NTTF's U-16 Super League Finals at the same venue on the 14th of May promises to deliver a week of excitement for Nigeria’s teeming sports fans.