Nigeria Women Boxers Claim Three Gold Medals At African Elite Boxing Championship
By Saheed Afolabi
Team Nigeria produced an impressive comeback at the 2026 African Elite Boxing Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, winning three gold medals and one silver in the women’s finals.
Ajishola Khadijat, Precious Anine and team captain Blessing Orakwe emerged as Nigeria’s gold medallists, while Patricia Mbata settled for silver after a narrow defeat in her final.
Khadijat got Nigeria’s gold medal campaign underway in the women’s 51-54kg category, overpowering Algeria’s Malak Noir E. with a unanimous 5-0 decision.
Her convincing victory provided the perfect start for the Nigerian contingent, with Anine maintaining the momentum in the 60-65kg division by defeating Algeria’s Benane Djouher to secure the country’s second gold.
Orakwe delivered the most emphatic performance of the night, knocking out Kenya’s Akinyi Elizabeth in the opening round of their women’s 75-80kg final to complete Nigeria’s gold medal collection.
The victory was a fitting response from the Nigerian captain, who had expressed her determination to make a strong impression at the continental competition.
Mbata was Nigeria’s only finalist who failed to secure gold, losing 3-2 to Egypt’s Aboelfead Nabila in a closely fought contest for the women’s 70-75kg title.
Despite Mbata’s narrow defeat, Nigeria’s three gold medals and one silver represented a significant achievement for the team, which recovered from earlier disappointments to finish the women’s finals on a high.
The performance also justified the optimism expressed by members of the technical crew, including Cross River State head coach Mary Obo Ekpo, who had backed the Nigerian boxers to return from Nairobi with multiple medals.
The Nigeria Boxing Federation, under the leadership of President Adebayo Olawale Edun and Vice President Omonlei Yakubu, will draw encouragement from the team’s performance as the country continues its efforts to strengthen its position in African boxing.
Nigeria’s female boxers ultimately demonstrated their resilience and competitive quality, turning a challenging campaign into a medal-winning outing on the continental stage.
