Nigeria finishes fourth at Commonwealth Fencing Championships

Nigeria finished fourth overall at the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships held in Lagos, emerging as the top-performing African nation. The host country secured a total of one gold, five silver, and 18 bronze medals.

Seventeen-year-old Oghenegaren Osievwa-Thompson made history by winning Nigeria’s first-ever international gold medal in fencing. Additionally, Nigeria’s debut wheelchair fencing squad contributed significantly to the medal count, earning the majority of the team’s silver and bronze medals.

India dominated the competition, finishing first on the medal table with 25 gold, 20 silver, and 18 bronze medals. England placed second, while Wales finished third, narrowly ahead of Nigeria after securing a late gold in the men’s veteran sabre. South Africa rounded out the top five.

The six-day event, hosted at Rugby School Nigeria in Eko Atlantic City, attracted 20 nations. Adeyinka Samuel, leader of the Nigeria Fencing Federation and the first African president of the Commonwealth Fencing Federation, was praised for the event's success.