The impressive outing of Team Nigeria at the 2025 All Africa Senior Badminton Championships has been attributed to consistency in the organisation of domestic tournaments.

The Nigerian team led by serial men’s singles champion, Anuoluwapo Opeyori, won one gold and two bronze medals to finish third overall in the 2025 championship concluded on Sunday in Douala, Cameroon. Opeyori retained his Men’s Singles title for the fifth year running.

Speaking on the heels of Nigeria’s performance in Cameroon, the National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko,  explained that with more domestic tournaments the sky will only be the team’s starting point.

In his opinion, this will help to keep the athletes regularly in tune and competitive, while discovering fresh talents to replace ageing ones. 

Mallam Dikko’s words: “I must commend the badminton team for this feat. This is why we have been harping on the need for the Federations to hold constant tournaments across the country. 

“There is no doubting the abundance of talents in the country. They only need to be harnessed. As these A-list players are doing exploits in Cameroon, there is need to ensure that fresher talents are being discovered as well to take over from them. That is the real sports development. In fact constant domestic tournaments will keep the athletes competitive and ready for these international tournaments. 

While congratulating all stakeholders involved in the victory in Cameroon, the NSC Chairman stressed that now is to make Nigeria’s future secured

“That is the mandate given to us by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. He has mandated us to develop sports down to the grassroots and me and my DG Hon. Bukola Olopade along with the President’s SSA on Grassroots Sports Development Adeyinka Adeboye ‘Zulu’ have properly keyed into that mandate and driving the process with all we got.”

The NSC helmsman assured the Badminton Federation of the Commission’s support to aid their strive for continental and international excellence.