NSC Plans 5,000-Player National Scrabble Championship After Nigeria’s African Triumph

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has pledged increased support for scrabble development in Nigeria after the national team emerged overall champions at the 16th African Scrabble Championship in Monrovia, Liberia.

Director-General of the Commission, Bukola Olopade, disclosed this while receiving the victorious team, which returned with three major trophies from the continental competition.

Nigeria’s Abdulmumin Jimoh won the outstanding individual title, while the country also claimed the Best Country award to underline its dominance at the championship.

Olopade attributed the team’s success partly to the leadership of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) President, Bright Idahosa, whom he praised for his commitment to the development of the sport.

“Your passion as a scrabble leader in this country is second to none. As the president of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation, you have continued to show true leadership, and we at the NSC have absolute respect for you and all you are doing for the country,” he said.

The NSC boss, who spoke on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Commission’s Chairman, Shehu Dikko, commended the players for their performances on the international stage.

He said the Commission was committed to expanding the reach of scrabble and providing more opportunities for young Nigerians to participate in the sport.

As part of the planned intervention, Olopade announced that the NSC was prepared to fund a national scrabble championship in 2027, expected to attract about 5,000 children from across the country, with particular emphasis on participants from northern Nigeria.

He said the proposed competition would serve as a platform for identifying and developing young talents ahead of the 2027 African School Games, which Nigeria will host in Abuja.

The initiative is expected to widen grassroots participation and strengthen the country’s talent pipeline as Nigeria seeks to maintain its position among Africa’s leading scrabble nations.

The latest continental triumph further reinforces Nigeria’s standing in African scrabble, with the team returning from Monrovia with three major trophies.