A semantic knowledge framework for squash in Nigeria: Design, implementation, and evaluation of a domain ontology

Despite squash’s growing popularity in Nigeria and its recent recognition on the global stage, structured knowledge representation within the sport remains largely absent, particularly in the Nigerian context. This paper presents the design and implementation of a domain-specific ontology for squash in Nigeria, developed using Web Ontology Language (OWL) and implemented in Protégé. The ontology formalizes core entities and relationships associated with squash, such as players, competitions, training routines, equipment, and rules, while incorporating regional nuances in terminology and player development structures. Through a phased methodology combining expert interviews, literature analysis, and ontology engineering practices, the resulting model aims to support semantic search, knowledge reuse, data integration, and application development in sport analytics, education, and administration. Validation with domain experts demonstrates the ontology’s practical value in organizing squash-related data, while also addressing broader gaps in the digital preservation of sporting knowledge in emerging economies. The study contributes to the literature on domain ontologies and cultural informatics, proposing a scalable foundation for representing sports heritage in underrepresented regions.