A two-man Nigerian team will depart the country tomorrow for Conakry, Guinea, where it will make its second appearance at the African Sambo Championships.
 
This year’s championship is particularly significant for Nigeria as it marks the country’s debut in Combat Sambo—a more intense and physically demanding variant of the sport.
 
Representing the nation are Martin Aziba and Ramon Ibrahim, accompanied by the Vice President of the Nigerian Sambo Association, Hammed Sheriff.
 
The team will fly via Asky Airlines from Lomé to Conakry.
 
Aziba will make history as the first Nigerian athlete to compete in Combat Sambo at the African Championships, contesting in the Men’s 85kg category, while Ibrahim will compete in Sport Sambo (Men’s 64kg). Both athletes are also scheduled to participate in Beach Sambo, which will hold at the iconic Stade du 28 Septembre in Conakry.
 
Ahead of the tournament, Aziba expressed optimism and pride: “We’ve been training hard to perfect our techniques and are fully focused on bringing home gold medals and glory for Nigeria. This is a historic moment for us, and I’m proud to be the first Nigerian in Combat Sambo at this level.”
 
Ibrahim echoed his teammate’s confidence: “We’ve been in training for the past three months. We’re ready to give our best and make Nigeria proud.”
 
For Hammed Sheriff, the focus extends beyond the medals: “This is our first competition of the year, and we’re aiming to build on our past successes. At the last African Championships, we secured three gold medals, one silver and one bronze. We’re confident we can match or even surpass that performance.”