We want to elevate Nigeria’s Taekwondo profile globally – Federation

Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), says the federation is committed to elevating the country’s profile in the international taekwondo community.

NTF’s President, Temitayo Popoola, stated this on Wednesday in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

She said that the federation had on Jan. 30, unveiled a comprehensive calendar of activities, covering grassroots development and national competitions.

Other activities, she said, were international engagements, nothing that the calendar remained open to amendments to accommodate global opportunities.

The NTF boss said with the support of the National Sports Commission, the federation was well positioned to deliver positive results.

“This is our first meeting for 2026 and it is very positive.

“The 2026 calendar of activities, with emphasis on national competitions, was presented, examined thoroughly and approved by board members,” she said.

Popoola said that the board resolved to intensify the scouting of young athletes with strong physical attributes who could be developed into future taekwondo champions.

She said that early preparations had commenced for the All-Africa Taekwondo Championship scheduled to hold in Morocco in April.

She, therefore, stressed the need for corporate and individual sponsorships to support the federation’s plans.

“The board approved the establishment of a four-man committee to develop a framework and guidelines for club registration, affiliation and the regulation of the federation’s logo usage,” she said.

She added that the challenges associated with athletes’ registration and licensing were reviewed, particularly, issues arising from inadequate data management.

Popoola commended board members for their commitment, noting that they travelled from across the country to attend the meeting.

“It is a collective effort, and I am grateful to our board members who made the meeting possible,” she said.

She announced the dissolution of all standing committees of the NTF, adding that new committees would be constituted in due course.

Popoola said zones were encouraged to organise more tournaments to aid talent discovery, while zonal national camps would be held to select athletes for the national camp.

“Our goal is to make Nigeria proud and place the federation in the limelight of the international taekwondo body,” she said.

She expressed optimism that with vendors and stakeholders on board, the federation was ready to deliver tangible results.

Supreme news reports that the 2026 All Africa Taekwondo Championships scheduled to be held in Rabat, Morocco, from April 1 to April 5. The event was moved from the Ivory Coast to Morocco.

Athletes qualified based on the 2025 African Open Series (AOS) circuit.

The championship is a G-4 level event.

The 2026 African Para Taekwondo Championships will also be held in Rabat around the same time, with specific events listed for April 1 and April 4.

The African Taekwondo Union confirmed the list of qualified athletes and established that these spots are non-transferable.