David Ojih becomes Africa’s youngest Scrabble expert

Former African Under-19 champion promoted to elite status

Former African under-19 Scrabble champion David Ojih has achieved another historic milestone by becoming the youngest player to reach the Expert (EXP) rank in Africa.

At just 21 years old, David’s rise through the ranks has been nothing short of remarkable, making him one of African Scrabble’s brightest stars.

In 2025, he finished on the podium at major tournaments in Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana, and also won silver and gold medals at the Nigerian National Sports Festival.

Also read: David, from Nigeria, finishes on top in the under-19 and under-15 categories, respectively

At the 2025 World Scrabble Players Association Championships (WESPAC), David went a step further and won one of the high-profile side events, a testament to his growing international stature.

David’s transition from youth Scrabble to the elite level has been quick and inspiring.
In just one year, he went from being the continent’s junior champion to finishing sixth overall at the African Scrabble Championship (ASC) in Kigali.

By the end of the year, David recorded an impressive average rating of 2027 across 90 games, placing him firmly among Africa’s elite Scrabble players.

Following his promotion to the rank of Expert, all tournament directors across the continent were mandated to refer to him in all official tournament records as David Ojih (EXP).

The President of the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA), Adekoyejo Adegbesan, congratulated him on this exceptional achievement.