No fewer than 11 countries have arrived in Abuja for the 13th ECOWAS African Wrestling Tournament, scheduled to take place from March 6 to 8 at the Velodrome, Moshood Abiola National Stadium.
The tournament is part of celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Francis Njoaguani, Director of the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre, confirmed that 55 athletes—both male and female—would compete in the highly anticipated event aimed at fostering unity and regional integration.
According to Njoaguani, the competition will feature 11 out of the 12 ECOWAS member states, with 33 male and 22 female wrestlers participating in both individual and team events.
“Female wrestlers will compete in the 65kg and 75kg categories, while male athletes will battle in the 85kg, 100kg, and 120kg divisions.
“A total cash prize of $24,000 is up for grabs, with $10,000 awarded to the winning team, $6,000 for the runner-up, and $3,000 for third place. Individual wrestlers can earn between $1,000 and $2,500 based on their performance,” he stated.
Ikana Mbora, Deputy Director at the National Sports Commission (NSC), emphasized the significance of Nigeria hosting the prestigious tournament for the first time, assuring that the NSC would ensure a seamless event in line with international best practices.
Olufemi Ajao, also of the NSC and former Secretary of the Traditional Sports Federation of Nigeria, confirmed that security and logistics arrangements had been finalized to ensure a successful tournament. He urged Abuja residents to come out in large numbers to witness top-tier traditional wrestling.
“This will be the best-organized edition in the tournament’s history, so I encourage everyone to come and experience the best of regional African wrestling,” Ajao said.
This marks a historic milestone as Nigeria hosts the tournament for the first time, following previous editions in Senegal and Niger.
Participating countries include Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, and hosts Nigeria.
The tournament highlights ECOWAS’ commitment to promoting African wrestling, a traditional West African sport known as Laamb in Senegal, Boreh in The Gambia, and Kokowa in Nigeria and Niger. ECOWAS officially adopted the sport in September 2000 to enhance regional integration and work toward Olympic recognition.
