Fencing · Careers
How to build a fencing career in Nigeria
From a first lesson in a Lagos school to the Commonwealth and African podiums: every step, the costs, the safety rules and the careers around the piste.
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Careers in fencing
Your road to competitive fencing
In August 2026, at Rugby School Nigeria in Eko Atlantic City, a Nigerian teenager won the final of the under-23 men's épée 15-5 and gave Nigeria its first international fencing gold. That night, at the first Commonwealth Fencing Championships ever held in Africa, fencing stopped being a curiosity in Nigeria and became a real pathway.
This page is for young fencers, parents, school heads and coaches. It explains how to start, the three weapons, how Nigeria picks its teams, the diaspora route, wheelchair fencing, what it costs, how fencers fund themselves, and the careers around the piste: coach, referee and organiser. Every fact was checked on 1 October 2026.
One honest truth first: fencing is a small, young sport in Nigeria, run from Lagos, and no Nigerian earns a living from competing today. But it is growing fast, it values brains as much as muscle, and a determined young fencer can reach the African Championships far sooner than in football or athletics.
Career facts · Checked 1 October 2026
Nigerian fencing careers in numbers
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1997
Federation formed
The Nigeria Fencing Federation, based in Lagos.
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1st
International gold
Won at the 2026 Commonwealth Championships in Lagos.
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24
Commonwealth medals
Nigeria's haul at Lagos 2026: 1 gold, 5 silver, 18 bronze.
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25
Team Nigeria fencers
13 able-bodied and 12 wheelchair fencers in Lagos, August 2026.
The pathway at a glance
Six stages from first lesson to the world stage
Ages are a guide, not a rule. Fencers often reach their best in their mid twenties or later, so there is time to learn.
Age 3 to 10
Try fencing at school or a club
The Nigeria Fencing Federation runs school programmes and the Premier Fencing Club, which takes children from age 3.
Age 8 to 14
Learn the basics and pick a weapon
Footwork, the lunge and the salute come first. Then choose foil, épée or sabre.
Age 10 to 17
Interschool and national competitions
Interschool tournaments and national events are where federation coaches spot talent.
Age 13 to 20
Cadet and junior international events
Cadet and junior African Championships and international junior events, some held in Lagos.
Age 17 to 23
Under-23 and senior teams
Commonwealth and African senior events. The 2026 Commonwealth Championships added an under-23 category.
Age 18 and up
World rankings and the Olympic dream
Senior international events earn world ranking points. Nigerian fencers are targeting Los Angeles 2028.
Step by step
Eight steps to a fencing career
Follow these in order. Each step builds on the one before it.
Find a club or a school programme
Fencing in Nigeria is centred in Lagos. The Nigeria Fencing Federation (NFF), formed in 1997, says it runs a Fencing in Schools programme in more than ten schools, holiday camps, and the Premier Fencing Club, founded in 2013, which takes children from age three. Contact the federation through our contact page and ask where the nearest club or school session is.
Learn the three weapons, then choose one
Every fencer specialises in one weapon. Foil is a light thrusting weapon with the torso as the target and a “right of way” rule. Épée is the heaviest, the whole body is the target and there is no right of way. Sabre allows cuts with the edge as well as thrusts, above the waist, and is the fastest. Try all three; your coach will help you see which suits your speed, patience and style.
Train your legs and your head
Fencing is often called physical chess. Footwork, balance and explosive lunges matter, but so do patience, reading your opponent and staying calm when you are behind. Training three or four times a week, with fitness work and plenty of bouts against different people, is how young fencers improve.
Compete early and often
Results build your ranking and your confidence. Start with interschool tournaments, such as the federation's 2nd Interschool Fencing Competition at the French School, Victoria Island, in 2016, then national events. Nigeria has hosted the Cadet and Junior African Championships (2018), the African Championships (2025) and the Commonwealth Championships (2026), so many young Nigerians have now fenced at international level without leaving home.
Earn your place on the national team
The NFF trains and selects fencers for international events. For the 2026 Commonwealth Championships in Lagos, Team Nigeria had 25 athletes: 13 able-bodied fencers and 12 wheelchair fencers. Be consistent at national events, be coachable, and keep a record of your results.
Fence internationally and chase ranking points
To climb the world rankings, fencers travel to FIE junior and senior events. Sabre fencer Inkosi Brou became the first Nigerian in the world top 10 of junior men's sabre, and Oluwafolayemi Akinyosoye reached 65th in the senior sabre rankings in 2025. Brou has said that travelling at this level is tough and that he manages with the support of his parents and coaches.
Consider the diaspora route if you live abroad
Several of Nigeria's best fencers were born or are based abroad. Brou was born in the United States, Akinyosoye is based in the United Kingdom, and Tosan Egbesemirone, Nigeria's first international medallist, lives in the United States. If you have Nigerian roots and fence abroad, the federation actively welcomes diaspora athletes. Contact it early, before you commit to another national team.
Train clean and protect your body
Fencers must follow the same anti-doping rules as other Olympic athletes. Nigeria's National Anti-Doping Act 2025 made the Nigeria Anti-Doping Centre the statutory body for anti-doping, and its Technical Board was inaugurated in Abuja in July 2026. Check every medicine and supplement before you take it, and always wear approved protective kit (see the safety section below).
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Para fencing
Wheelchair fencing: a new pathway
Wheelchair fencing is Nigeria's newest fencing pathway, and it has started with a bang.
- Before the 2026 Commonwealth Championships, the federation announced a wheelchair fencing academy in partnership with World Ability Sports, and the championships included wheelchair fencing for the first time.
- Twelve Nigerian wheelchair fencers made their debut in Lagos, from a programme that had started only about three months earlier.
- Chidinma Dennis won silver in women's wheelchair foil, described as Africa's first international wheelchair fencing medal. Nigeria also won bronze medals in women's wheelchair épée in categories A and B.
If you or someone you know uses a wheelchair and wants to compete, contact the NFF. Para sport in Nigeria is growing, and our Paralympics section explains more about para pathways.
Money
Paying for fencing and making a living
Be honest with yourself and your family: no Nigerian fencer makes a living from competing today. We could not find any reliable published figures for fencing salaries, grants or prize money in Nigeria, so we will not guess.
How do fencers manage? The answers we found are practical:
- Family support. Inkosi Brou has spoken of the support of his parents and coaches in meeting the cost of travel.
- Studies. Many of Nigeria's fencers combine the sport with school or university, at home or abroad.
- Sponsors and partners. The federation's events have been backed by companies and by the Nigeria Olympic Committee, and a four-year agreement with the Italian fencing federation (2024) brings Italian coaches and referees to run courses in Nigeria.
- Coaching. The surest income in fencing is teaching it. As more schools take up the sport, qualified coaches will be needed.
Kit costs money: mask, jacket, plastron, glove, breeches and weapons. Ask your club about loan kit when you start, and buy your own only when you are sure you will stay.
Beyond competing
Careers around the piste
Fencing needs people who never step on the piste as competitors.
| Career | How to start in Nigeria | Next level |
|---|---|---|
| Coach | Help at a club or school programme and ask the NFF about coaching courses. The federation says it has three internationally certified fencing masters. | FIE development courses, such as the 2026 FIE Women's Coaching Seminar attended by Nigerian coach Bola Suru. |
| Referee | Learn the rules of all three weapons, referee club bouts and ask the NFF about referee training, including courses under the Italian federation partnership. | National, African and FIE referee licences. |
| Armourer (equipment technician) | Learn to repair weapons, body wires and scoring kit at your club. Every competition needs people who keep the equipment working. | Technical roles at national and international events. |
| Event organiser | Volunteer at interschool events and championships. Nigeria hosted the African Championships in 2025 and the Commonwealth Championships in 2026. | Federation and international event management. |
| Para fencing support | Coaches, classifiers and helpers are needed for the new wheelchair fencing programme. | Commonwealth and international wheelchair fencing roles. |
Bola Suru was one of 13 women coaches worldwide chosen for the FIE seminar in Rio de Janeiro in 2026, which covered over 40 hours of coaching, sports medicine, leadership and athlete safeguarding. Women coaches are needed, and the doors are open.
Stay safe
Safety, kit and safeguarding
Fencing is one of the safest combat sports when the rules on equipment are followed, and dangerous when they are not.
Five rules that keep fencers safe
- Never fence without a mask, jacket, glove and, for competition, an underarm protector (plastron).
- At international level kit must meet FIE standards: for example masks rated to 1,600 newtons and jackets, breeches and plastrons rated to 800 newtons.
- Check your blade before every bout; a cracked blade can break and become sharp.
- Only fence under a coach or referee, never “for fun” with real weapons and no kit.
- Check every medicine and supplement against anti-doping rules before you take it.
A word for parents: ask who coaches your child, whether parents may watch, and how the club protects children. Safeguarding is part of modern coaching education, and a good club will welcome your questions.
Advice from the stars
What Nigerian fencing wants you to know
Every quote below was checked word for word against the outlet named under it. We add one practical lesson to each.
A lot of training, dedication, sweat, and tears went into this. I'm just happy I won in front of Nigerians, in front of my family.
Oghenegaren Osievwa-ThompsonNigeria's first international fencing gold medallist, Lagos 2026
ThisDay, 15 August 2026The lesson: Big wins are built in quiet training sessions long before the final.
It's a step-by-step journey, and I just need to stay consistent.
Inkosi BrouNigeria's top junior sabre fencer, targeting Los Angeles 2028
Daily Trust, 2 July 2025The lesson: Show up and train every week. Consistency beats talent that turns up only sometimes.
We aim to introduce fencing in several states within Nigeria, focusing on getting it into as many schools as possible
Adeyinka SamuelPresident, Nigeria Fencing Federation
ThisDay, 4 January 2025The lesson: Ask your school to join. Fencing is spreading, and early starters gain the most.
… a rich and diverse learning journey, covering career development, leadership, athlete management, and technical coaching skills.
Bola SuruNigerian fencing coach, on the 2026 FIE Women's Coaching Seminar
Voice of Nigeria, 10 June 2026The lesson: Coaching is a profession. Keep learning, and look for international courses.
Your first move
Where to start this week
You can start this week. Tick these off:
- Contact the Nigeria Fencing Federation and ask about the nearest club, school programme or holiday camp.
- Ask your school head whether the school can join the Fencing in Schools programme.
- Book a trial session; most clubs lend beginners their kit.
- Watch bouts in all three weapons and talk to the coach about which suits you.
- Keep up your school grades: fencing and education go well together.
- Wheelchair users: ask about the wheelchair fencing programme.
- Diaspora fencers: contact the federation before you commit to another country.
Find the federation's details on our Contact Nigerian fencing page, and meet the fencers already flying the flag on our Nigerian fencers page.
Keep exploring
Explore Nigerian fencing
History of fencing in Nigeria
From 1997 to hosting the Commonwealth Championships.Read more
Fencing competitions
Lagos 2025, Abidjan 2026 and the Commonwealth Championships.Read more
Nigerian fencers
The Hall of Fame and today's ranked fencers.Read more
Contact Nigerian fencing
The Nigeria Fencing Federation.Read more
Quick answers
Fencing careers in Nigeria: your questions
How can my child start fencing in Nigeria?
Contact the Nigeria Fencing Federation in Lagos. It runs a Fencing in Schools programme in more than ten schools, holiday camps and the Premier Fencing Club, founded in 2013, which takes children from age three. Most clubs lend beginners kit at first.
Which fencing weapon should I choose?
Try all three. Foil targets the torso with a right-of-way rule, épée is the heaviest and the whole body is the target, and sabre allows cuts and thrusts above the waist and is the fastest. A coach will help you choose based on your speed and style.
Has Nigeria won a fencing gold medal?
Yes. At the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships in Lagos, Oghenegaren Osievwa-Thompson won Nigeria's first international fencing gold, in the under-23 men's épée. Nigeria finished fourth on the medal table with 1 gold, 5 silver and 18 bronze.
Can a fencer born abroad represent Nigeria?
Yes, many do. Inkosi Brou was born in the United States, Oluwafolayemi Akinyosoye is based in the United Kingdom and Tosan Egbesemirone lives in the United States. Contact the Nigeria Fencing Federation early, before you commit to another national team.
Can you earn money from fencing in Nigeria?
Not from competing at present. We found no reliable published figures for fencing salaries or prize money in Nigeria. Fencers are supported by family, studies and sponsors, and the most reliable income in the sport comes from coaching.
Is there wheelchair fencing in Nigeria?
Yes. A wheelchair fencing programme began in 2026 with an academy in partnership with World Ability Sports. Twelve Nigerian wheelchair fencers made their debut at the Lagos Commonwealth Championships, where Chidinma Dennis won silver in women's wheelchair foil.
How do I become a fencing coach or referee in Nigeria?
Start by helping at a club or school programme, learn the rules of all three weapons, and ask the Nigeria Fencing Federation about courses. A four-year agreement signed in 2024 with the Italian fencing federation brings Italian coaches and referees to run training courses in Nigeria.