Thirteen year old Kenyan golfer Kanana Muthomi has emerged as the individual champion of the 2026 All Africa Challenge Trophy, while South Africa reclaimed the team title at the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja.
Muthomi, popularly known as Nana, produced an impressive performance over three rounds to finish with a total of 13 over par. Her scores of 77, 77 and 75 secured her the continental crown, making her one of the youngest golfers to win the prestigious competition.
The young Kenyan finished six strokes ahead of South Africa’s Isabella Ferreira, who came second with 19 over par. Ferreira’s compatriot, Charlotte Millard, secured third place with a total of 23 over par.
Reflecting on her achievement, Muthomi said winning the individual title while representing Kenya made the experience even more meaningful. She explained that although she knew she was leading after the second round, she was unaware of the exact margin and focused on maintaining her game throughout the final round.
“I knew I was leading after the second round, but I did not know by how much. When I was told about the final round, I simply told myself to play my game,” she said.
In the team category, South Africa finished at the top with an aggregate score of 464, beating Kenya by six strokes. Kenya settled for second place with 470, while Tanzania took third position with 479. Hosts Nigeria finished fourth after recording 500.
South Africa’s triumph further strengthened its position in African women’s amateur golf, taking its record number of All Africa Challenge Trophy team victories to 15. The team arrived in Abuja determined to reclaim the championship after losing the 2024 edition to Morocco.
Kenya also celebrated another success as Bianca Ngecu won the AACT Junior Trophy following a closely contested battle against her South African opponent. The competition went into a playoff, with Ngecu eventually securing victory on the fourth extra hole.
President of the Nigeria Ladies Golf Association, Dr Lami Ahmed, described the championship as a successful event and expressed appreciation to African golfing authorities for giving Nigeria the opportunity to host the continental tournament.
She also recognised the support of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, whose decision to serve as patron of the championship helped increase its visibility and standing.
Outgoing AACT President Cécile Poncet praised Nigeria for organising the competition, noting that the tournament plays an important role in promoting women’s golf and providing opportunities for young talents across the continent.
Ekanem Ekwueme, the AACT Trustee for West and Central Africa, called on golf stakeholders to build on the success of the championship by investing more in grassroots programmes, coaching, junior competitions and improved sporting facilities.
A total of 19 African countries participated in the tournament. Uganda, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe joined the medal winning nations to complete the top eight.
