A 19-member Team Nigeria contingent has arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, ahead of the inaugural African Boxing Elite Championships, scheduled to hold from 15 to 28 October 2026.
The team departed Nigeria on Tuesday, 13 October, and landed in the Kenyan capital on Wednesday, 14 October, a day before the competition begins.
The delegation comprises 10 boxers and nine technical crew and support staff, according to the National Sports Commission (NSC).
Nigeria will field five male and five female boxers across 10 weight categories at the continental showpiece.
The championships, organised under the World Boxing (WB) umbrella, will take place at the Moi International Sports Centre’s Kasarani Indoor Arena.
A Platform for Elite Boxers
The NSC said the competition will provide Nigeria’s elite boxers with an opportunity to test their abilities against some of the continent’s best.
It will also offer valuable international experience and a platform to demonstrate the depth of Nigerian boxing talent.
The NSC wished the contingent success, urging the boxers to uphold the country’s reputation for competitiveness, discipline and excellence.
Nigeria’s participation forms part of efforts to strengthen its presence in African boxing and provide athletes with opportunities to compete at the highest level.
A Continent Divided
The tournament has exposed a rift in African boxing, with the newly formed World Boxing staging the event in Nairobi while the 79-year-old International Boxing Association (IBA) holds a parallel championship in Kinshasa.
National federations have been forced to choose between the two events.
Boxing heavyweights Algeria and Egypt, alongside Angola, have already arrived in Nairobi for the WB-organised championship.
The championship runs until 28 October 2026.
