Nigeria’s fencers are bracing for a formidable challenge at the 2026 African Senior Fencing Championships in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, as they prepare to clash with some of the continent’s finest talents from May 31 to June 6.
In the men’s sabre event, the trio of Brou Inkosi, Phoenix Olen, and Oluwafolayemi Akinyosoye will face off against Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist Fares Ferjani of Tunisia and defending champion Ahmed Hesham of Egypt, in what promises to be one of the most competitive contests of the tournament.
Leading Nigeria’s charge is Akinyosoye, ranked 65th in the world and the country’s best performer at the 2025 edition in Lagos.
He will be joined by 18-year-old Inkosi, ranked 106 globally, who is making his second appearance at the senior continental championships. Olen, meanwhile, enters the fray as an unranked debutant, eager to make his mark and fly Nigeria’s flag high when the competition begins on Tuesday, June 2.
Diekolola Johnson and Leonard Chizim Aninyei will compete in the men’s epee, battling alongside 44 other contenders for a place on the podium. The women’s team will be represented by Adebodunrin
Thomas, the sole female fencer in the contingent, who will contest the individual epee event.
In addition, Nigeria’s men’s epee team will vie for honours in the team category, as the five-day tournament—sanctioned by the International Fencing Federation—brings together the best across Africa.
Before the team’s departure, national coach Ibrahim Alogba described the squad as a blend of youthful energy and seasoned experience.
He expressed confidence that Nigeria’s fencers are capable of making their presence felt on the continental stage.
The championships will feature world-class competitors such as Kenya’s Alexandra Ndolo and Egypt’s Mohamed Elsayed and Mohamed Hamza, all seeking to defend their titles and secure valuable ranking points.
Powerhouses like Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria will be joined by nations including Niger, Benin, Kenya, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Angola, Togo, Nigeria, and hosts Côte d’Ivoire, competing across individual and team events in epee, sabre, and foil.
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