By Eyere Ekuta
The Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi now falls quiet, its mats left to rest after days of intensity, and brilliance at the 47th African Senior Judo Championships 2026, an energy the hall will surely miss long after the final bout.
For Team Nigeria, it was a championship defined by fight, near-podium finishes, and valuable lessons, as athletes battled through elimination rounds, repechage opportunities, and the unforgiving demands of elite judo competition.
If there was one athlete who carried Nigeria’s medal hopes deep into the competition, it was Michael Agbo. Competing in the highly competitive -66kg category, he showed class from the start, dominating his group with controlled victories over opponents from Burundi, Mozambique, and Senegal to reach the knockout stage.
A loss to an Angolan opponent pushed him into the repechage, keeping his bronze medal hopes alive. In the playoff, he faced Senegal’s Mballo Oumar in one of the tournament’s most intense bouts. The match remained scoreless through regulation, with both judokas locked in a tactical battle, forcing a Golden Score decider.
After over six minutes of exhausting combat, the contest was decided by penalties. Agbo received a third shido, ending the fight and his medal hopes in heartbreaking fashion.
Despite the setback, Agbo secured a strong 5th place finish, remains Nigeria’s top judoka, and is currently ranked 95th in the world with 381 points a performance that highlights his growing potential as Olympic qualification heats up.
Another standout performer was Enku Ekuta, who delivered a composed and resilient showing in the -63kg category. She opened strongly with a commanding victory over her Madagascan opponent via osaekomi, highlighting her strength in groundwork and calmness under pressure.
Her momentum was checked by a loss to an Egyptian opponent, sending her into the repechage. There, she faced Morocco’s Taibi Chaimae but fell short despite a spirited effort, ending her campaign. Ekuta finished a respectable 7th, earning 208 ranking points and maintaining her position as Nigeria’s highest-ranked female judoka.
Beyond the result, this championship marked an important milestone, her first IJF-ranking event in the new Olympic cycle. Having previously qualified for the Tokyo Olympics and amassed over 1000 ranking points before the reset, Ekuta now begins a fresh push toward another Olympic appearance.
Her journey is also deeply rooted in legacy, following in the footsteps of her mother, who represented Nigeria at the 2004 Athens Olympics, adding extra motivation to her pursuit of success on the global stage.
Several Nigerian judokas experienced early exits after losing their opening bouts, including Aremu Kehinde (-66kg) who fell to a South African opponent, Cyprian Miracle (-90kg) who lost to Tunisia’s Ben Ammar, Ipalibo Somina (+100kg) who was defeated by Guinea’s Fofana Moustaph, as well as Audu Franca (-52kg) and Udeze Amara (-63kg) who both lost their first fights to opponents from Senegal and Egypt respectively.
Others showed brief promise but could not advance far. Aremu Taiwo (-73kg) secured an opening win against Congo before losing to Njie Faye of Gambia, while Ufot Immaculata (-57kg) also started strong with a first-round victory but was eliminated in her second bout by Cameroon’s Fiona.
Speaking after the competition, Coach Ewa, a former international referee, shared his reflections, noting that although he was not in Nairobi, he followed the event closely. His interest was also personal, as two athletes on the team are from the Akwa Ibom State Judo Association, where he coaches.
He emphasized that Nigeria’s challenge is not talent, but limited exposure, fewer international competitions, and the need for more structured training camps.
Despite over a year without international outings, he noted that the athletes still secured valuable ranking points, achieved competitive results, and placed Nigeria back on the Olympic qualification radar.
Coach Ewa added that with increased competition opportunities, better-organized training camps, and experienced coaching support, the team has the potential to develop into strong Olympic contenders.
He also commended the National Sports Commission for supporting the team’s participation.
On the final day, Team Nigeria competed in the Mixed Team Event, a dynamic format combining male and female athletes across weight categories. Eight of the nine registered athletes formed the team and were drawn against a South African side. After a series of closely contested bouts, Nigeria fell short on overall matches won. However, Enku Ekuta provided a bright moment, securing a victory and once again showing her resilience.
Nigeria finished 18th out of 35 nations, reflecting both the challenges faced and signs of progress.
Egypt claimed overall victory, with Morocco second and Algeria third, while Tunisia and South Africa also placed in the top five.
Their dominance continues to be driven by regular participation in IJF events, stronger funding, and well-structured training systems.
Nigeria may not have secured a medal this time, but the outing at the championship was far from a failure. Instead, it revealed clear signs of progress and growing promise for the future, especially within the framework of the International Judo Federation (IJF) competition pathway.
The tournament showed that Nigeria is building a team with depth, resilience, and the capacity to compete on the continental and global stage.
With Olympic qualification already in motion through the IJF ranking system, the way forward is well defined expanded exposure to top-level competition, regular participation in international events, and more structured, high-performance preparation.
Beyond the results, this campaign underscores the unity and shared commitment of the Nigerian judo community from the federation (NJF) to coaches, athletes, state associations, and supporters all working together to rebuild, reposition, and rise.
On the mats in Nairobi, Nigeria proved that the fighting spirit is firmly in place. What remains is time, experience, and sustained investment and with that, a podium finish is not a question of if, but when
