Two of Africa’s top fencing nations, Egypt and Tunisia, have touched down in Lagos ahead of the 23rd African Fencing Championships, with more participating countries expected to arrive on Tuesday. The prestigious continental tournament is set to take place from Wednesday, June 25 to Sunday, June 29 at Charterhouse Lagos.
The five-day event will see elite fencers from across the continent compete in 12 medal events, including individual and team contests in foil, epee, and sabre.
This year’s edition marks only the fourth time the African Fencing Championships will be held in Sub-Saharan Africa, following previous hostings in Senegal (2002 and 2009) and Mali (2019).
Leading the Egyptian charge is the formidable El-Sayed duo—Olympic bronze medallist Mohamed El-Sayed and his younger brother, Mahmoud El-Sayed, the current world No. 1 junior and reigning world junior champion. Mohamed, 22, who won bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics and gold at the 2022 Mediterranean Games, will be seeking to extend Egypt’s dominance on the continent.
Egypt, the most decorated country in African fencing history, arrived with the largest squad and is determined to defend their overall title from last year.
Tunisia, another fencing powerhouse, also arrived in Lagos with an equally talented squad led by Olympic silver medallist Farès Ferjani. The 27-year-old star and reigning African champion in men’s sabre will headline both individual and team competitions for Tunisia.
Additional countries including Morocco, Mauritius, Angola, Rwanda, Libya, South Africa, Guinea, Niger, Senegal, and Burkina Faso are all expected to arrive by Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Fencing Federation (NFF) has expressed deep appreciation for the outpouring of support from sponsors and partners, particularly Charterhouse, which is hosting the event and also served as the venue for the 2024 World Cup.
“We are truly grateful for the backing we’ve received from both government agencies and corporate partners,” said NFF President Adeyinka Samuel. “Charterhouse has been a vital part of our journey since hosting the World Cup last year. Their continued support is helping to place Nigeria firmly on the global fencing map.”
Samuel added that he hopes this level of partnership will inspire other institutions and organizations to support Nigerian sports on the international stage.
