Play With Stephen: Seven Editions of Swing for Autism, from Accra to Lagos

What began in 2020 as one golfer’s response to the gap in autism care has become an annual fixture across two countries

Play With Stephen (PWS), the sports initiative founded by 2020 to raise awareness and funding for autism care across Africa through golf, has taken its Swing for Autism tournament to seven editions, with the most recent held from August 21 to 23, 2026 at Lakowe Lakes & Country Estate, Lagos. Nigeria

Since 2020, the tournament has grown from a single event into a yearly commitment that crosses borders. It has been staged in Accra and Lagos, including the 2025 edition at Achimota Golf Club, and each year it brings golfers, corporate partners and advocates together around one cause.

That cause has not changed. Across much of Africa, families who receive an autism diagnosis often find little guidance on what comes next, and access to diagnosis, therapy and education remains limited. Proceeds from each edition go directly to beneficiary centres that provide that support to autistic individuals and their families.

“Seven editions in, what matters to me is that families can count on this being here next year, and the year after,” said Stephen Onaivi, Founder of Play With Stephen.

The tournament has also built a lasting partner base, with sponsors backing it in different ways from one edition to the next. The 2026 sponsor list was among its longest.

PWS’s work continues beyond the tournament calendar. The next major date is the Golf Tasting & Masterclasssometime in 2027, open to golfers, newcomers to the game and supporters of the cause.