With 25 days to the 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT), Nigeria’s return as host of Africa’s premier women’s team golf championship is also shining a spotlight on the remarkable growth of women’s golf in the country.

When Nigeria secured the hosting rights in 2024, Evelyn Oyome was President of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN) and led the Nigerian delegation that successfully secured the bid.

Now, as the country prepares to welcome golfers from across Africa to Abuja for the third time, Oyome believes the championship comes at a significant period in the development of women’s golf in Nigeria.

The former LGAN President noted that the country now has a growing pool of women who are not only competing at a high level but are also building careers across different areas of the sport.

From competitive amateur golfers progressing towards professional careers to women taking up roles as coaches, captains, administrators and other golf professionals, the landscape of women’s golf in Nigeria is steadily expanding.

The growth is also reflected in the increasing participation of women in tournaments across the country.

The 2025 IBB International Golf and Country Club Ladies Open, for instance, attracted more than 450 amateur and professional golfers, both male and female, from over 50 clubs across Nigeria, alongside participants from other African countries.

The development of women’s golf is being further driven by competitions and initiatives designed to increase participation and identify new talent. These efforts include expanding the game to more regions of the country and encouraging younger girls to take up golf.

For Oyome, the opportunity to host the AACT is therefore about more than staging another continental championship. It provides Nigeria with a platform to showcase how far women’s golf has come while inspiring more women and girls to see a future in the sport.

Nigeria previously hosted the AACT in 1996 at Ikoyi Club 1938 and in 2010 at the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja. The 2026 edition will mark the third time the country has hosted the prestigious championship.

With 25 days to go, the AACT is bringing the spotlight back to Nigeria against the backdrop of a women’s golf community that continues to grow in numbers, experience and professional opportunities.

The championship will take place from November 2 to 7 at the IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja.

25 DAYS TO GO. AFRICA IS COMING TO ABUJA.

The AACT 2026 countdown continues.