Nigeria made history by being awarded the hosting rights for 2026 Commonwealth Senior and Veterans Fencing Championships. It will be the first African country to host this prestigious event.

The Commonwealth Fencing Federation (CFF) conditionally approved Nigeria’s bid, with certain conditions to be met for the 2026 tournament.

This achievement follows Nigeria’s successful hosting of the Fencing World Cup last year, the first time a Sub-Saharan African country hosted such an event. Over 10 countries participated in the World Cup, which Charter House Lagos hosted, with Egypt and Saudi Arabia dominating.

Adeyinka Samuel, President of the Nigeria Fencing Federation, expressed his delight, stating, “We competed against Australia, a nation that has hosted the Commonwealth Championships three times and is among the most experienced globally. This achievement reflects the strength of our bid and Nigeria’s growing respect on the international stage.”

He added, “Over 10 months, every aspect of our bid underwent thorough review, culminating in December’s final technical visit during our successful hosting of a Fencing World Cup. This event will likely be the largest in Nigeria’s sporting history, with an estimated 600+ athletes from over 30 countries.”

Samuel continued, “This is the biggest news for the Nigerian fencing community. Hosting such a prestigious tournament allows us to compete with some of the best fencing nations in the Commonwealth.

“We are thrilled and motivated to continue growing and popularising the sport.
Our efforts during the last World Cup showed we could host this tournament.

“The management of Charter House has pledged their full support, and we will seek more private sector backing to ensure a successful event. Hosting this tournament will also help our fencers compete with the best in the world as they aim to secure tickets to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.”

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The President of the British Fencing Federation, Pat Aiyenuro, has
pledged her federation’s technical support to the Nigerian Fencing Federation, marking the beginning of a collaboration between the two nations.

Impressed with the organization of the first fencing World Cup in Sub-Saharan Africa, Aiyenuro noted that assembling some of the world’s best fencers in Lagos confirms Nigeria’s growing status in the sport.

She assured that British Fencing would partner with Nigeria to train its personnel, including coaches and referees, to be technically on par with the rest of the world.

“I think we are privileged to have some of the top fencing nations come here and compete. We have a world champion here, which shows that they believe in Nigeria’s ability to host a top-tier competition. I’m impressed; the quality of the fencing is world-class.

“We are already working on a collaboration with the Nigeria Fencing Federation to train more referees and coaches. There is potential here, and the federation is forward-thinking, trying to make these things happen,” she said.
For 17-year-old Oluwashemilore Fashola, competing against some of the best fencers in the world has boosted his confidence ahead of future international tournaments.
“I’m very excited and proud of Nigeria for securing the hosting rights for this competition. It’s a great experience, especially since it’s my first. I’ve met many fencers, and they can see how far Nigeria has come in the sport.
“Currently, I’m very impressed by the level of competition. All the other countries brought their best fencers to participate. Even though fencing isn’t very popular here, and many of us haven’t been doing it for long or consistently, we have still managed to go far. It’s a significant achievement since we were up against some of the best in the world.
“What we can do to improve is to participate in more competitions and keep facing these top fencers. We also need to continue training diligently,” he added.

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Nigeria is set to make history as the first Men’s Junior Epee World Cup in Sub-Saharan Africa begins on Saturday, December 14, at Charterhouse Lagos.

This landmark event, sanctioned by the International Fencing Federation (FIE), will feature teams from Benin Republic, Egypt, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Oman, and host Nigeria.

A total of 34 fencers will compete for honours in the individual events, with world ranking points at stake.

This two-day tournament marks the first international event hosted by the iconic Charterhouse Lagos building.

Top officials from the FIE and Commonwealth Fencing Federation will be present to oversee the competition.

Nigeria is also vying to host the Commonwealth Fencing Championships in 2026.

Coach Ibrahim Alogba has expressed confidence in the Nigerian team, led by Wisdom Okanlawon, as they prepare to challenge their international counterparts.

All eyes will be on Egypt’s Eslam Osama, the tournament’s top seed. The Egyptian team boasts three top seeds, including Youssef Shamel and Mahmoud Elsayed, ranked second and third respectively.

Other top contenders include Hong Kong’s Kenton Jia Hsu and Greece’s Artemios Tzovanis.

The excitement surrounding the event underscores its significance to the Nigeria Fencing Federation, led by Adeyinka Samuel.

“Our athletes used to travel abroad for major competitions to earn ranking points. Now, with this event in Nigeria, they can save costs and gain points ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games qualifiers.

“We are thrilled that months of preparation will culminate in this historic tournament on December 14. It signifies our growth in African fencing,” Samuel stated.

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