The IBB International Golf and Country Club, Abuja, has assured organizers and participants that it will be ready to host the 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT) despite concerns over ongoing rehabilitation work at the facility.
Chairperson of the club’s Board of Trustees, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, gave the assurance in Abuja following an inspection of the golf course and other facilities.
The continental championship is scheduled to take place from November 2 to 7, 2026, with national ladies’ teams from across Africa expected to participate.
Club confident of hosting tournament
Dongban-Mensem dismissed concerns about the readiness of the facility, saying the golf course was already in good condition and would be suitable for the championship.
She assured participating countries that the necessary facilities would be made available for the tournament, while acknowledging that some aspects of the wider facility might still require finishing touches.
The club had been closed to regular golfing activities for more than a year to allow extensive rehabilitation work to be carried out.
LGAN welcomes progress
President of the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN), Lami Ahmed, also expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded at the facility.
Ahmed thanked the club’s Board of Trustees and management for supporting the hosting of the continental championship.
She described the tournament as an opportunity to provide visiting golfers with an experience beyond the competition itself, while expressing confidence that Nigeria would be proud of the event.
Preparations continue
The rehabilitation work is not limited to the golf course, as the clubhouse and other facilities are also undergoing improvements ahead of the championship.
The club’s Interim Management Committee Chairman, Peter Deshi, has said the facility is expected to reopen for regular golfing activities within the coming weeks.
The AACT will bring together ladies’ golf teams from across Africa for a week of competition in Abuja. The official event programme lists arrivals and practice on November 2, the opening ceremony on November 3, championship rounds from November 4 to 6, and the closing ceremony on November 6.
With preparations continuing, organizers and club officials are working towards completing the remaining rehabilitation ahead of Nigeria’s hosting of the continental championship.
