**166 players from 27 countries expected to participate
President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, has declared Nigeria fully ready to host the 9th Lagos International Badminton Classics.
The tournament is scheduled to take place from August 26 to 29, 2026, at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), National Stadium, Lagos.
Orbih said a total of 166 players from 27 countries are expected to participate in this year’s competition, describing the level of international interest as encouraging.
“We are fully prepared to host the 9th Lagos International Badminton Classics. The response from participating countries has been very encouraging, and we are expecting 166 players from 27 countries to compete in this year’s tournament.”
He disclosed that the tournament offers a total prize purse of US$20,000, underscoring the significance of the competition on the international badminton calendar.
“The US$20,000 prize money demonstrates the level of importance attached to this competition. We want the players to have every motivation to give their best and put on a great performance.”
The BFN President also expressed appreciation to the Director General of the National Institute for Sports, Rt. Hon. Phillip Shuaibu, and the management of the institute for facilitating the use of the venue for the championship.
“We sincerely appreciate the Director General of the National Institute for Sports, Rt. Hon. Phillip Shuaibu, and his management team for making the venue available to the Badminton Federation of Nigeria. Their support has been crucial to our preparations, and we are grateful for their cooperation.”
Orbih said the federation was committed to delivering a well-organised championship that would further enhance Nigeria’s reputation as a destination for major international badminton events.
