The League of African Ambassadors is set to host its first fundraising golf tournament in Nigeria, aiming to strengthen ties across the continent while raising support for its programmes. The event will run from August 29 to 30, 2026, at the Ibom Golf and Country Club in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and will bring together diplomats, government officials, business leaders and golf enthusiasts from different parts of Africa.
Organised under the oversight of Ambassador Lt. Gen. T. Y. Buratai (Rtd), a member of the League’s Board of Trustees for West Africa, the tournament is capped at 150 participants. According to Zoyols News, the idea is to create a relaxed setting where people can build connections that go beyond formal meetings, while also generating resources for the League’s work across the continent.
Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja, LAA President Ambassador Nwanne Ominyi explained that the initiative will later be rolled out in eleven other African countries, including Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Morocco and Egypt. He noted that the format offers a practical way to combine networking with support for continental development efforts.
Ambassador Ben Okoyen, who chairs the Nigerian Fundraising Golf Committee, described golf as a natural environment for diplomacy because it encourages informal conversations and lasting relationships outside traditional conference rooms. Winners of the tournament will receive return flight tickets to London, Barbados and Accra as prizes.
High-profile figures expected to attend include Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the governors of Akwa Ibom and Imo states, as well as members of the National Assembly, who will perform the ceremonial tee-off. The Foreign Affairs Minister is scheduled to lead the closing putting ceremony. The League has called on corporate organisations, diplomatic missions and development partners to support the event and help expand its reach.
