Athletes from 31 African countries arrived in Abuja on Sunday for the 2025 African Karate Championship, which begins today, at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
  
The championship featuring competition in different categories will end on July 28. The categories include Cadet (14–15 years), Junior (18 years), Senior, Para-karate, and Wheelchair divisions.
 
Speaking while unveiling the programme at the weekend, the Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN) President, Silas Agara, commended the Nigeria Immigration Service for facilitating a smooth visa process for the international delegations. 
 
He noted that the participating countries have completed their registration, which closed on Wednesday night, adding: “We have most of the countries on the ground now. As of the closing date, 31 countries had confirmed participation.”
  
Agara also confirmed that officials from other countries are present to provide technical support to ensure a smooth competition.He acknowledged the logistical challenges in hosting such a large event, particularly in handling transportation and coordination of teams across venues.

 He added: “We’ve handled their movement from the airport to hotels and training grounds. Accommodation is the responsibility of the participating countries. We’re not hosting for hosting’s sake. We’re showcasing how far karate has grown in Africa.”

On Nigeria’s readiness for the championship, Agara expressed optimism in the performance of the home team, despite facing tough opposition from top-tier nations like Egypt, which is fielding several world champions.