More than 1,000 athletes from 31 countries have arrived in Abuja to participate in the 2025 African Karate Championship, scheduled to hold from July 21 to July 28.
President of the Karate Federation of Nigeria, Silas Agara, confirmed the development on Sunday during a press briefing in Abuja. He stated that the championship will feature four categories: cadet (ages 14–15), junior (16–17), senior, and para karate (18 and above).
Agara noted that the turnout of athletes and officials from across Africa marks a significant milestone for the sport and for Nigeria as host. He emphasized the efforts made by the federation to ensure that all necessary logistics, including accommodation and transportation, were in place before the arrival of participating countries.
“As of Wednesday night, which was the deadline for registration, we had 31 countries confirmed with over 1,000 athletes and officials. We’ve worked hard to address accommodation, transportation from hotels, and immigration processes, including visa-on-arrival arrangements. I’m glad to report that everything is on course,” Agara said.
He added that the General Assembly of the African Karate Championship would also take place in Abuja during the championship period.
Also speaking, the federation’s Technical Director, Dave Jegede, said Nigeria will be represented by 60 athletes who are well-prepared and in high spirits. He explained that the athletes have undergone rigorous training and have been consistently active through several competitions in preparation for the event.
“We anticipated hosting this championship and organized four national and two regional tournaments to keep the athletes in form. They’ve been in camp and are battle-ready,” Jegede said.
He expressed confidence in the team’s ability to deliver strong performances, highlighting the presence of former African and Commonwealth medalists among Nigeria’s representatives.
