ABUJA, Nigeria (Oct. 2, 2024) — The Federal Ministry of Sports has announced that it will not provide financial support for Team Nigeria’s Scrabble squad as they prepare to defend their title at the African Senior Scrabble Championship in Kigali, Rwanda, later this month. The decision, attributed to a lack of funds, leaves the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) scrambling to find resources for the competition, which begins on Oct. 23.
According to the Ministry of Sports Development, headed by Senator John Enoh, financial commitments for the upcoming 13th African Games and the Paris 2024 Olympics have drained their budget, leaving no funds to support the scrabble team’s trip to Rwanda.
In a statement, the ministry expressed regret over the situation, but reiterated that it had “spent all Federal allocations on preparations for the African Games and Paris Olympics.” As a result, the NSF has been told to independently source funds to cover the expenses of 15 players and 5 officials representing Nigeria at the event.
Nigeria’s scrabble team has an impressive track record in the African Senior Championship. The country’s players dominated the last edition held in Lusaka, Zambia, where Nigeria took the first three positions and secured five spots in the top ten rankings. Additionally, Nigeria has won 13 out of 14 editions of the individual competition since it began in 1994 and has claimed every team title.
The team includes defending champion Enoch Nwali, a Lagos-based student at the University of Lagos, who is eager to retain his individual title. Nigeria is also the reigning champion in the team category and widely regarded as the world’s leading scrabble nation. Oluwatimilehin Doko, another member of Team Nigeria, is currently ranked as the highest African in the World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) standings at No. 8, with four other Nigerians ranked in the top 20.
The financial challenges are not new to Nigerian scrabble players. Last month, Nigeria’s participation in the World Youth Scrabble Championship in Sri Lanka was only made possible by last-minute funding from the Kwara State Government.
As the clock ticks towards the start of the African Championship, the NSF now faces a race against time to secure the necessary funding and ensure that Team Nigeria can defend its titles.
