Nigeria’s Kuti Matthew emerged champion of the U-19 Boys’ Singles at the 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Cup in Accra, Ghana, after defeating compatriot Sultan Agunbiade in an all-Nigerian final to secure the country’s only gold medal of the tournament.
The highly anticipated final showcased the depth of Nigeria’s youth table tennis talent, with both players producing impressive performances throughout the competition.
Kuti, however, proved the stronger of the two in the decisive match, capping a remarkable campaign with a well-deserved continental title.
Sports247 reports that the victory provided a fitting response after Nigeria’s disappointment in the U-19 singles event at the ITTF Africa Youth Championships earlier in the week, where the country’s medal hopes ended in the quarter-finals.
Kuti’s triumph ensured that Team Nigeria did not leave Accra empty-handed and reinforced his status as one of Africa’s brightest young table tennis stars.
The gold medal represents another significant milestone in Kuti’s rapidly developing career and further underlines Nigeria’s continued ability to produce elite talents capable of competing at the highest level on the continent.
In the U-19 Girls’ Singles, Egypt’s Habiba Elbasoumy completed a remarkable redemption story by defeating Algeria’s Tania Morice in the final to claim the Africa Youth Cup title.
Habiba’s triumph came after years of heartbreak on the continental stage. She had finished runner-up in the 2024 and 2025 ITTF Africa Youth Championships, losing both finals to fellow Egyptian Mariam Younes.
Earlier in the week in Accra, she suffered another setback when Tania Morice defeated her in the semi-finals of the Africa Youth Championships.
This time, however, the Egyptian star turned disappointment into triumph. She produced a composed and determined performance to overcome Morice in the Africa Youth Cup final and finally capture the continental crown that had previously eluded her.
The 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Cup concluded with memorable stories for both nations, as Kuti Matthew delivered Nigeria’s only gold medal in Accra, while Habiba Elbasoumy completed one of the tournament’s most inspiring redemption arcs to become Africa’s U-19 Girls’ Singles champion.
