Egypt and Tunisia, two of Africa’s fencing powerhouses, have arrived in Nigeria ahead of the 23rd African Fencing Championships, scheduled to hold at Charterhouse Lagos from 25 to 29 June.
The five-day competition will feature 12 events, with elite fencers from across the continent vying for gold medals in individual and team categories.
Egypt, Africa’s most decorated fencing nation, arrived with the largest delegation, spearheaded by the El-Sayed brothers Olympic bronze medallist Mohamed El-Sayed and world junior champion Mahmoud El-Sayed.
Mohamed, aged 22, secured a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and clinched gold at the 2022 Mediterranean Games. His younger brother Mahmoud, who recently emerged champion at the 2025 Junior World Championships in Wuxi, China, currently holds the world number one junior ranking.
The Egyptian contingent, which touched down in Lagos aboard an EgyptAir flight from Cairo, is aiming to retain the overall title it secured in 2024.
Also Read: Nigeria Unveils 12-Man Squad for African Fencing Championships
Tunisia also arrived with a formidable team led by Paris 2024 Olympic silver medallist, Farès Ferjani. The 27-year-old, who is the reigning men’s sabre champion, will captain Tunisia’s sabre team at the championships.
Other nations expected to arrive by Tuesday include Mauritius, Angola, Rwanda, South Africa, Guinea, Morocco, Libya, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Senegal.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Fencing Federation has expressed appreciation to its corporate sponsors and private supporters, particularly Charterhouse, which also hosted the 2024 World Cup.
The federation’s president, Adeyinka Samuel, acknowledged the strong support from both government and private sectors in elevating Nigeria’s status in global fencing.
“Charterhouse has been a committed partner since 2024, and their support is greatly valued. We hope others will follow their example,” Samuel stated.
