ITTF World Rankings: Aruna reclaims top spot in Africa, Matthew Kuti breaks through as Nigeria’s No. 2

Matthew Kuti has leapfrogged 2019 African Games gold medallist Olajide Omotayo to become Nigeria’s second-highest-ranked male table tennis player, according to the latest ITTF World Rankings for Week 32 of the 2025 season.

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Riding high on his title-winning run at the 2025 West Africa Regional Championships in Lagos, Kuti climbed six places to 194th in the world.

Matthew Kuti(CREDIT: ITTF MEDIA) — **Matthew Kuti (CREDIT: ITTF MEDIA)**

That standout performance earned him 75 points, with additional contributions from the ITTF World Championships Finals in Doha (10 points) and WTT Contender Lagos (4 points), bringing his total to 89 points.

Meanwhile, Omotayo’s stock has dipped, as a disappointing outing in Lagos saw him drop 37 places to 198th, now sitting on 78 points and flirting with a potential fall outside the top 200.

Aruna back on top of Africa

Elsewhere, Aruna Quadri has reclaimed his status as Africa’s highest-ranked player, moving up three spots to 21st globally with 1,185 points. The Nigerian icon, who last appeared at the United States Smash in July, benefited from the ITTF’s rolling 12-month points system, which saw rival players lose older ranking points.

Egypt’s Omar Assar, who briefly overtook Aruna, has now slipped behind, re-establishing Aruna’s dominance at the summit of African table tennis.

Rising Nigerian contenders

Just outside the world’s top 200 are two promising Nigerian talents making waves:

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Abdulbasit Abdulfatai rose two places to 205th with 74 points, all earned in Lagos. His runner-up finish at the West Africa Regional Championships (55 points) and WTT Contender performance (19 points) underscore a breakout season.

Taiwo Mati, now ranked 213th, continues to show the value of global exposure. Mati, the most travelled Nigerian on the circuit, earned 35 points from a Round of 16 finish at WTT Contender Lagos, the joint-best by any African, and added 25 more from a semi-final run at the West Africa event. His international calendar also paid off, with appearances in Cagliari (3 points), Muscat, Tunis, and Skopje (2 points each).

Muizz Adegoke also made marginal gains, rising two spots to 232nd with a total of 59 ranking points.

Nigeria’s Women hold their ground

Fatimo Bello remains Nigeria’s top female player in the women’s rankings, despite a 17-place drop to 134th. Her semi-final finish at the 2025 ITTF African Cup in Tunis accounted for 175 of her 189 total points, with the remainder coming from Lagos and Doha.

Ajoke Ojomu rose five places to 153rd, thanks to her victory at the West Africa Regional Championships (75 points), backed by 35 points from WTT Contender Lagos and 10 from the World Championships in Doha, totalling 120 points.

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Aminat Fashola rounds out Nigeria’s top three, currently 174th with 94 points. Her tally includes 35 points from WTT Contender Lagos and 10 from Doha.

Rankings that matter

The ITTF World Ranking system plays a critical role in global table tennis, determining seedings, Olympic qualifications, and measuring competitive consistency on the international stage. For Nigerian players, every match now carries greater weight as they chase ranking points, visibility, and a place among the sport’s elite.