Thousands of athletes from 31 African countries, on Sunday, arrived in Nigeria for the highly anticipated 2025 African Karate Championship, scheduled to be held from July 21 to 28.

The championship will feature competitions in multiple categories, including Cadet (14–15 years), Junior (18 years), Senior, Para-karate, and Wheelchair divisions.

The President of the Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN), Hon. Silas Agara, disclosed this in Abuja during a press briefing. He 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.

Agara said: “We have most of the countries on 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.

Agara acknowledged the logistical challenges in hosting such a large event, particularly in handling transportation and the 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.

Speaking on government support, Agara disclosed that the Sports Commission has maintained a cordial relationship with the federation but no direct funding was provided for the championship. “The financial burden rests solely on the federation,” he added.

Meanwhile, Technical Director Dave Jegede said Nigerian athletes are in top form after participating in national and regional championships.

Jegede said: “They’re in high spirit, well-equipped and eager to make the nation proud.”

The 2025 African Karate Championship is expected to draw massive attention across the continent, as Africa’s best karatekas battle for supremacy in what promises to be a display of skill, discipline, and sportsmanship.