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Abdulmumin Jimoh emerged champion of the 16th African Scrabble Championship in Monrovia, Liberia, after recording 23 wins
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Reigning Nigerian national champion George Ezinore finished second with 23 victories and a spread of 1,005 points.
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The country extended its dominance at the African Scrabble Championship beyond the individual standings by winning the Best Country award ahead of Kenya and host Liberia.
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Ghana’s Betty Kyeremateng emerged as the Best Female Player after recording 20 wins from 32 games, while Nigeria’s Sophia Ekeruche finished second with 18 victories.
October 26, (THEWILL) – Nigeria has emerged champions of the 16th African Scrabble Championship in Monrovia, Liberia, after Abdulmumin Jimoh claimed the individual title and the country secured the Best Country award ahead of Kenya and host Liberia.
Jimoh produced a remarkable comeback to top the 110-player field, finishing with 23 wins and a cumulative spread of 1,760 points.
His compatriot and reigning Nigerian national champion, George Ezinore, also recorded 23 victories but settled for second place with a spread of 1,005 points, while Emmanuel Umujose completed an all-Nigerian podium in third position.
Jimoh demonstrated resilience throughout the four-day competition. He finished the opening day in 12th position with five wins before climbing to third on day two.
Despite dropping to sixth on day three, he mounted a late charge to move into contention for the title.
A crucial victory over Larry Etuwa in round 31 strengthened his position at the top of the standings.
Although he lost his final game to Ezinore, Jimoh’s accumulated spread proved decisive in securing the continental crown.
His triumph continues Nigeria’s strong tradition in African Scrabble and sees him succeed clubmate Oluwatimilehin Doko, who won the championship in Kigali two years ago.
Doko endured a difficult campaign in Monrovia after falling ill during the competition.
Nigeria’s success extended beyond the individual standings, with the country claiming the Best Country award to underline its dominance at the continental championship.
Reacting to the achievement, President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation, Engineer Bright Idahosa showered praise on the athletes for making Nigeria proud in the tournament.
He said: “I commend our players and the Federation in general for the determination shown throughout this tourney and for flying Nigeria’s flag high on the continental stage.
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“This achievement reflects the talent, commitment and competitive spirit within Nigerian Scrabble.”
“I also sincerely appreciate the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the Director-General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, for their support.
“The Director-General consistently called to enquire about our results, assess our progress, and discuss the way forward. This demonstrates genuine passion and intentional leadership in Nigerian sports.”
In the women’s category, Ghana’s Betty Kyeremateng emerged Best Female Player after recording 20 wins from 32 games.
Nigeria’s Sophia Ekeruche, recognized as the World’s Best Female Junior Player in 2025 and 2026, finished second in the female standings with 18 wins.
