NCF to expand West Africa Trophy cricket tourney

President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Uyi Akpata, has reaffirmed the board’s commitment to transforming the West Africa Trophy into the biggest cricket tournament in Sub-Saharan Africa, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

After its launch in Lagos in 2023, the second edition of the tournament concluded in Abuja on Sunday, with Nigeria emerging champions at the NCF Oval inside the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

The Yellow Greens maintained their dominance with a 40-run victory over Rwanda in the final, repeating their success from the inaugural edition in Lagos in 2023, where they also defeated Rwanda to lift the title.

Speaking during the final in Abuja, Akpata outlined the federation’s plans to expand the competition from four teams to as many as eight, a move aimed at maximising the use of available facilities and harnessing the potential of more cricket-playing nations in the region.

“This is just the beginning,” Akpata said. “Once we confirm the dates shortly after the tournament, it is going to be five times bigger in the next three years. This will be the most sought-after competition in Sub-Saharan Africa—that is the target of my board. As cricket continues to grow in prominence in Nigeria, we are hopeful that next year we will have a minimum of five teams, and if we can get eight, it will be even better. The foundation has been laid and it is solid.”

Akpata also explained the federation’s inability to stage the tournament in 2024, attributing it to a congested calendar, while stressing the NCF’s commitment to the development of cricket across Sub-Saharan Africa.

“I’m super excited. We missed last year due to a crowded calendar,” he said. “One of the key things about associate-hosted tournaments is contributing to the broader objective of expanding the reach and acceptance of cricket, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. We are also using this platform to support our fellow associate member, Zambia, and they have shown they can compete with the best.”

During the maiden edition in Lagos, Nigeria competed alongside Ghana, Sierra Leone and Rwanda.

For the 2025 edition, Zambia replaced Ghana, marking the Southern African nation’s return to competitive cricket after an eight-year absence.