The Nigeria Fencing Federation has officially announced a twelve-member squad to represent the country at the 23rd African Fencing Championships, scheduled to take place from June 25 to 29, 2025, at Charterhouse Lagos. This moment marks a significant milestone, as Nigeria hosts the continental tournament for the very first time.
Heading the Nigerian delegation is 17-year-old Inkosi Brou, a U.S.-based athlete who recently made history by becoming the first Nigerian fencer to win a medal at an international event. Brou clinched bronze at the 2025 African Junior Championships in Angola, and has since competed in various international tournaments as part of his journey toward qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Alongside Brou is the UK-based Oluwafolayemi Akinyosoye, who will be joined by local talents including Wisdom Okanlawon, the sibling duo Mahatir and Mahadi Idongesit, Olumuyiwa Ige, Oritsematosan Egbesemirone, Alex Chizim Aninyei, and Babade Adegbola. The women’s squad features Peluola Akinbamiro, who will be representing Nigeria at home for the first time. She is accompanied by Somto Eribenne, Sara Idongesit, and Adebodunrin Thomas.
Team Nigeria will compete in both individual and team events, across all three weapon disciplines: foil, epee, and sabre. With a squad filled with rising stars and youthful determination, the nation holds high hopes for a strong performance.
National coach Ibrahim Alogba expressed confidence in the team’s potential, emphasizing that their youth and inexperience might actually be an advantage. According to him, the absence of pressure and expectations could allow the team to play more freely and take opponents by surprise. “Our team is the youngest in terms of age and experience, which reduces the pressure on them. This could work in our favour. We may be young, but we are not intimidated by records or reputations. We are ready to break Nigeria’s medal drought in this tournament,” he stated.
Italian coach Riccardo Bardin, who has been working with the team since arriving in Nigeria a week ago, also praised the athletes’ commitment and potential. However, he urged fans and stakeholders to remain patient, as the team continues to develop both technically and competitively.
This year’s championship will be the third time the African Fencing Championships are being hosted in Sub-Saharan Africa, following previous editions in Senegal in 2002 and Mali in both 2009 and 2019. Hosting the event in Lagos is seen as a historic opportunity not only for Nigeria’s fencers but also for growing the sport across West Africa.
Participating countries include Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, Benin Republic, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Senegal, Mauritius, Angola, Rwanda, Niger, South Africa, Guinea, Libya, Burkina Faso, and Cape Verde. The competition will feature twelve events in total—six individual and six team events—spanning all weapon categories.
As the countdown begins, expectations are high, and the excitement is building. With a blend of international exposure and homegrown promise, Team Nigeria steps into this championship not only to compete, but to carve their names into the history of African fencing.
