Nigeria’s Fencing Giants Arrive Lagos for African Championships

Egypt, Tunisia Arrive as Lagos Gears Up for African Fencing Championships
With just a day to the start of the 23rd African Fencing Championships, top contenders Egypt and Tunisia have touched down in Lagos, Nigeria, as preparations intensify for the continental showdown set to run from Wednesday, June 25, to Sunday, June 29, at Charterhouse Lagos.

The five-day championship will feature 12 events across individual and team categories, with elite fencers from across Africa competing for a dozen gold medals.

Heavyweights Eye Glory as Nigeria Hosts Again

This year’s edition marks only the fourth time the championship will be held in Sub-Saharan Africa, following previous hostings in Senegal (2002 and 2009) and Mali (2019). Egypt, the continent’s most dominant force in fencing, arrived with the largest squad. Their team includes Olympic bronze medallist Mohamed El-Sayed and his younger brother, Mahmoud, the current world junior number one and reigning junior world champion. Mohamed, 22, also won gold at the 2022 Mediterranean Games and added to his medal haul with a bronze in Paris 2024.

Tunisia’s delegation, led by Paris 2024 silver medallist Farès Ferjani, is also in Lagos. Ferjani, 27, is the defending champion in the men’s individual sabre and will also anchor Tunisia’s sabre team.

More participating nations—including Mauritius, Angola, Rwanda, South Africa, Guinea, Morocco, Libya, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Senegal—are expected to arrive today (Tuesday).

Organisers Laud Corporate Support

The Nigeria Fencing Federation has applauded the strong backing from corporate sponsors and private partners, especially Charterhouse, the host venue, which also successfully staged the 2024 Fencing World Cup.

Federation president Adeyinka Samuel expressed appreciation, saying, “We sincerely thank all our partners, both in the public and private sectors, for their continued commitment to the growth of fencing in Nigeria. Charterhouse has played a pivotal role since the 2024 World Cup, and their ongoing support remains invaluable. We hope their example encourages others to come on board.”