Matthew Kuti has stormed into new territory on the global table tennis scene, becoming Nigeria’s second-highest ranked male player after leapfrogging 2019 African Games champion Olajide Omotayo in the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Rankings for Week 32 of the 2025 season.

Kuti surged six places to 194th in the world, riding the momentum of his title-winning run at the 2025 West Africa Regional Championships in Lagos, a performance that earned him 75 valuable ranking points. He also picked up 10 points at the ITTF World Championships Finals in Doha and four more at the WTT Contender Lagos, bringing his season haul to 89 points.

Omotayo, meanwhile, endured a tough week. A poor showing in Lagos saw him tumble 37 spots to 198th, with his tally reduced to 78 points, putting him on the verge of slipping out of the world’s top 200.

At the top of the African standings, Quadri Aruna is back on his throne. The Nigerian star moved up three places to 21st in the world with 1,185 points, reclaiming the title of Africa’s No. 1 despite not competing since the United States Smash in July. Under the ITTF’s rolling 12-month system, older points for his rivals, including Egypt’s Omar Assar, dropped off, allowing Aruna to regain his continental dominance.

Two other Nigerians are hovering just outside the top 200: Abdulbasit Abdulfatai at 205th and Taiwo Mati at 213th. Abdulfatai climbed two spots thanks to a standout run in Lagos, where all 74 of his points came from 55 as runner-up at the West Africa Regional Championships and 19 from the WTT Contender Lagos.

Mati, Nigeria’s most travelled campaigner this year, held firm in 213th. He bagged 35 points for reaching the Round of 16 at the WTT Contender Lagos, the joint-best by an African, and another 25 for a semi-final finish at the West Africa Regional Championships. His tally also includes smaller hauls from appearances in Cagliari (3 points), Muscat, Tunis, and Skopje (2 points each).

Muizz Adegoke also made progress, climbing two places to 232nd with 59 points.

On the women’s side, Fatimo Bello remains Nigeria’s top-ranked player at 134th despite slipping 17 spots. Her semi-final run at the 2025 ITTF African Cup in Tunis accounts for 175 of her 189 total points, with the rest coming from appearances in Lagos and Doha.

Ajoke Ojomu made the biggest leap, moving up five places to 153rd. She secured 75 points for winning the West Africa Regional Championships, 35 from the WTT Contender Lagos, and 10 from the World Championships in Doha.

Aminat Fashola rounds out Nigeria’s top three women at 174th with 94 points.

The ITTF World Rankings are more than just numbers. They determine tournament seedings, shape Olympic qualification battles, and reflect the pecking order in global table tennis.