Nigeria Chess Federation Hails Successful Hosting of FIDE World Amateur Championships in Abuja
The Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF) has welcomed the successful hosting of the FIDE World Amateur Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Abuja, describing the tournament as a milestone for the country’s sporting profile and for the development of chess across Africa.
According to AllAfrica, which cited reporting by This Day newspaper, NCF President Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo said the event represented a landmark achievement for Nigerian sport. He framed the championships as a significant step in advancing the game on the continent, reflecting efforts by the federation to position Nigeria as a credible host for major international competitions.
The championships, organised under the auspices of FIDE, the international governing body of chess headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, brought amateur players together in the Nigerian capital to compete in rapid and blitz formats, which feature shorter time controls than classical chess. FIDE’s amateur categories cater to ranked players who compete outside the elite professional tier, offering an international stage for club-level competitors.
Abuja, which has hosted a growing number of continental and international sporting gatherings in recent years, provided the setting for the competition. The staging of a FIDE-sanctioned world event is expected to reinforce Nigeria’s standing within the global chess community and to encourage further investment in the game at the grassroots level.
The NCF’s framing of the championships as a milestone for African chess reflects a wider push across the continent for national federations to host international tournaments, an effort that has gathered pace as chess programmes expand in several African countries and the continent’s player base continues to grow.
Sources
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