NSC pledges support to Nigeria Fencing

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has pledged its full support to fencing following Nigeria’s impressive performance at the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships in Lagos. The six-day competition, the first senior fencing event ever held in Africa, featured more than 20 countries. While India won the most medals, Nigeria finished fourth, the highest-ranked African nation in the tournament.

NSC Director General Bukola Olopade, a special guest at the closing ceremony, expressed pride in the achievements of Nigerian fencers and praised their courage and skill, emphasizing that their success demonstrated Nigeria’s sporting excellence beyond football.

Olopade highlighted the potential of fencing as an Olympic sport, noting that many of Nigeria’s medal winners were under 20, signaling the sport's capacity to produce future champions. To further bolster the sport, Olopade announced a $10,000 quarterly grant for Nigeria’s first gold medallist, Oghenegaren Osiovwa-Thompson, and additional monetary rewards for other medalists.

This support followed persistent advocacy from fencing officials, including Nigeria Fencing Federation President Adeyinka Samuel, who kept pushing for the sport’s growth trajectory. Both Olopade and Samuel commended the federation, athletes, coaches, officials, sponsors, and participating nations for the successful event, and expressed confidence in Nigeria’s ability to host world-class sporting events and qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.