By Andrew Abah
The President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, has described 2025 as a fairly positive year for the federation, while outlining ambitious plans to consolidate recent gains and expand activities across the country.
Speaking on the federation’s progress, Orbih said although there were challenges, the year marked a turning point for Nigerian badminton, particularly in the area of corporate sponsorship and technical development.
“The year was not a bad year for us as a federation.
“ We are definitely looking at improving on what we were able to achieve last year because there are still many areas and grounds to cover,” he said.
One of the major highlights of 2025, was the signing of a landmark sponsorship agreement with a corporate body — a first in the history of badminton in Nigeria.
The four-year partnership between GIG Logistics and national para-badminton player Eniola Bolaji, he said, represents a significant breakthrough for the sport.
“For the first time, we signed an agreement with a corporate body to sponsor one of our players.
“ This has never happened before in Nigerian badminton.
“ For us, it is just the beginning, and we are hoping to consolidate on this and attract more corporate sponsorships this year, not just for players but also for events,” he said.
He acknowledged that the federation did not organise a national championship in 2025, a situation he said was not ideal.
However, he explained that a busy international calendar helped keep players active.
“Last year, we didn’t have a national championship.
Fortunately, we had the National Sports Festival, the Lagos International, the Abia Para-Badminton International and the African Championship, which kept us busy.
“ But we are not too comfortable with that because we want a situation where players have competitions they can truly call their own,” he said.
He also revealed that the federation plans to organise at least four national championships this year to ensure consistent competition and player development.
He also highlighted major strides made in officiating and coaching.
He disclosed that one Nigerian umpire was accredited by the African Badminton Confederation in 2025, becoming the fourth official from Nigeria to attain that status — an achievement he described as unprecedented.
In addition, he said the federation trained 13 new coaches towards the end of 2024.
One of them, he revealed, secured a scholarship to Dubai in 2025 and has since obtained a Level Two coaching certificate, having initially been trained at Level One in Abuja.
Another female coach from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) also benefited from a scholarship to South Africa and recently earned her Level One certification.
“The coaching and technical department of the game is very critical.
“ As we focus on player development, we must also focus on coaches and officials. They must grow side by side,” he said.
He added that increased tournaments in this year would ensure more engagement for coaches, umpires and players, while providing a fuller competitive calendar.
Orbih said that the All Africa Senior Badminton Championship is set for February 2026, describing it as the sport’s equivalent of football’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
In preparation, he said national players have already commenced camping.
“The players entered camp on Sunday , and we are hopeful they will be well prepared to go out there and have a good outing,” he said.
Orbih expressed optimism that with improved planning, stronger corporate partnerships and enhanced technical capacity, Nigerian badminton is on a steady path to growth and international relevance.
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