The 6th CIO Golf Championship will tee off at the Python Golf Club, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, from Thursday, November 13th to Sunday, November 16th, 2025, with organisers announcing a groundbreaking partnership with Kenya’s Safari Tour.

Ikenna Okafor, the Chief Executive Officer of Keeves Global Leasing, sponsor of the event, said that the objectives of staging the event were being realized with every passing edition.

“We came into golf sponsorship to use this platform to support, build, and expose the huge golf talent from this part of the world. Year after year, we have taken bold steps to reach our dream of making this event the ultimate stepping stone to stardom for professional golf players from Africa to the global stage.”

This year, Okafor said the partnership with the Kenyan Safari Tour, operated by the Kenya Golf Union, will allow participants to gain qualifying points for the 2026 Magical Kenyan Open, a Challenge Tour (a second-tier European Tour schedule, now known as the DP World Tour).

“We are exploring all ways to get the huge African potential in professional golf showcased at the global level,” he added.

With the development, this year’s event has extended the record professional winning purse it holds by announcing a total of N75 million (about $50,000) for this year’s event.

In the same vein, apart from over 100 entries from the host country Nigeria, entries have also been received from Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, Cameroon, Lebanon, Equatorial Guinea, and Gambia.

Emmanuel Obiora, a member of the organizing committee, said that for the first time Nigerian players will be competing at home in a placement competition for a world ranking event.

“The 6th CIO event we can say has removed some stumbling blocks for the local talents. What is equally important is the synergy we are forging with a body like the Safari Tour. And the expansion of our hospitality and logistic competencies because of the huge interest that is now being shown across the continent for the event”.

Junior golfers opened the 6th CIO Schedule yesterday while caddies will take their turn today November 10th. The event will also accommodate ladies, veterans, and club amateurs while it last. 

The main attraction will be the assembly of top professionals who will be doing battle to take a chunk of the N75 million purse. 

Nigeria’s Sunday Olapade is the defending Champion.