From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The maiden edition of the Senate President National Open Lawn Tennis Championship is scheduled to begin in October 2025 in Abuja and Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
This was disclosed by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Africa Sports Management, Rt. Hon. Prince Mathew Kolawole, when he led a delegation to the Office of the President of the Senate on Wednesday.
He was accompanied by Rotimi Akinloye, who represented the President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation, to formally inform the Senate President of the initiative. The visit was facilitated by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports Development, Senator Abdul Ningi.
The tournament is being organised by Africa Sports Management Nigeria Limited in collaboration with the Nigeria Tennis Federation.
Kolawole said the championship is in recognition of Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s effective leadership at the National Assembly.
According to him, the main objectives of the tournament are to promote tennis development in Nigeria, provide a healthy lifestyle, and engage Nigerian youths through a competitive sporting championship by using sports as a medium of connection.
Receiving his guests, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, welcomed the initiative and assured them of his support, while appealing to the Nigerian private sector to assist in funding sports.
“The private sector can drive sports in Nigeria. Sports must not be funded only by the government. There are too many competing items for the resources of the federal government.
“Let the private sector come in and assist us, and this kind of competition is a way of attracting the private sector, encouraging the students to take an interest in tennis, and in the future, they will make Nigeria proud,” Akpabio said.
