Nigeria endured a mixed day in the U-15 Boys’ Singles Round of 16 at the 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Championships in Accra, Ghana, with Joshua Samson and Umar Ayoola booking places in the quarter-finals after dramatic five-set victories.
Sports247 reports that Samson produced one of the standout performances of the day, edging Egypt’s Eyad Hussein 3-2 in a fiercely contested encounter.
The Nigerian youngster showed remarkable composure under pressure to overcome one of the tournament favourites and strengthen his medal ambitions.
Ayoola Umar also displayed resilience, battling past Ghana’s Frederick Mensah 3-2 in another thrilling contest. Backed by a vocal home crowd, the Ghanaian pushed the Nigerian all the way, but Ayoola held his nerve to secure a hard-fought victory and a place in the last eight.
It was, however, a disappointing outing for three other Nigerian representatives. Joseph Marvellous narrowly missed out on qualification after suffering a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Tunisia’s Amori Amne in a closely fought match.
Joseph Victor was unable to find his rhythm as he fell 3-0 to Benin’s AbdouRahaman G., while Azu Emmanuel also exited the competition following a straight-sets defeat to Egypt’s Sameh Asser.
Elsewhere, Egypt continued its strong campaign as Ahmed Elsabbagh defeated Togo’s Tony Agbetoglo 3-1, while compatriot Muhammad Kosba recorded a 3-1 victory over Ghana’s Hamzah Issah.
Uganda’s Joseph Sebatindira also earned a place in the quarter-finals after staging an impressive comeback to defeat Ghana’s Israel Aklie 3-2.
With Joshua Samson and Umar Ayoola still in contention, Nigeria’s hopes of securing the U-15 Boys’ Singles title remain alive.
Both players will now shift their focus to the quarter-finals, where even tougher tests await as the battle for continental honours enters its decisive stage.
The performances in Accra continue to highlight the depth of young talent emerging across Africa, with Nigeria once again proving capable of competing with the continent’s traditional table tennis powerhouses.
