Port Harcourt prepares for the event's largest purse
On 2 November 2026, organisers of the seventh CIO Golf Championship confirmed a ₦100 million professional prize fund for the week of 8–15 November at Python Golf Club in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. The event's official website gives the same dates, venue and professional purse, while THISDAY and TheCable reported the latest confirmation.
The previous edition in 2025 offered a ₦75 million purse and was won by Nigerian professional Francis Epe. The 2026 announcement therefore represents a ₦25 million increase, or approximately 33.3%. The ₦100 million refers to the overall professional prize fund, not the winner's cheque. A full payout breakdown has not yet been established.
Expected African field and a possible international pathway
Organisers expect approximately 30 visiting African professionals in addition to a substantial Nigerian contingent. These are anticipated entries, not a verified final start list, and no complete field has been announced.
Ikenna Okafor, chairman of tournament backer Keves Global Leasing, says the championship aims to improve the prospects of Nigerian professionals competing internationally. One potential benefit is a pathway towards the Magical Kenya Open, an event on the DP World Tour. This should not be read as a guaranteed automatic berth for the 2026 champion: the precise qualifying mechanism and number of places have not been verified.
There is a relevant precedent. Francis Epe, the 2025 CIO champion, subsequently secured a place in the 2026 Magical Kenya Open through the previous qualification structure. That does not establish identical terms for the coming event.
A full week for different levels of golf
The official CIO International Golf Classic calendar spans 8–15 November. A children's competition opens the programme on 8 November, followed by events for caddies, amateurs and professionals. The main professional competition is scheduled for the latter part of the week, with closing activities and prize presentations on 15 November.
The venue, Python Golf Club in Port Harcourt, lies in southern Nigeria's Rivers State. Bringing an international professional field to the city provides a useful counterpoint to the country's better-known golf centres in Lagos and Abuja. Although golfers from elsewhere in Africa are expected, the event takes place in Nigeria.
What remains unconfirmed
The 2026 winner is, of course, not yet known. GOLFTWITT will distinguish organisers' expectations from official tee times, scorecards and qualifying regulations once these are published, rather than assign results or international exemptions prematurely.
Sources: THISDAY, 2 November; TheCable, 2 November; official CIO International Golf Classic website.
