Team Nigeria has emerged overall winner at the 2025 All Africa Para Badminton Championship, claiming 36 medals, comprising 10 gold, 13 silver, and 13 bronze across various categories of the competition.
Nathan Mary and Chukwuemeka Gift won gold medals in the Women’s WH1 and WH2 Singles, respectively, while Bolaji Eniola, Eze Chukwuebuka, Okoro Chinyere, and Nnanna Jeremiah also clinched gold in their respective classes.
In the doubles events, Nigeria’s Nathan Mary and Chukwuemeka Gift secured gold in the Women’s WH1-WH2 Doubles, while Nnanna Jeremiah paired with Nwosu Obinna to win the Men’s SL3-SL4 Doubles.
The duo of Goman Tala and Tukur Bello bagged gold in the Men’s SU5 Doubles, while Nnanna Jeremiah teamed up with Bolaji Eniola to win another gold in the Mixed Doubles SU5.
Kenya finished second with 11 medals: 4 gold, 2 silver, and 5 bronze, while Egypt came third with 8 medals, comprising 3 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze.
Benin Republic came fourth with 1 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze medals, while the Democratic Republic of Congo ranked fifth with 1 gold and 2 bronze medals.
The championship, which kicked off on October 7, 2025, was held at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, and drew para badminton stars from across 12 countries.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, lauded athletes, officials, and delegates who participated in the 2025 Africa Para Badminton International Championship.
Governor Otti, who described the week-long event as “an extraordinary celebration of resilience and unity,” congratulated all participants from across the continent for making the championship a memorable experience.
The Governor, represented by the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Sir Nwaobilor Ananaba, commended the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) for their “unwavering partnership and professionalism,” adding that their collaboration made the tournament a success.
In an interview with newsmen, the Director of Sports, Abia State, Mr. Obioma George, who described the Africa Para Badminton Championship as a huge success, noted that this year’s outing was “the first time a Nigerian team is performing excellently well” in para badminton.
The Director of Sports attributed Team Nigeria’s success to the support and commitment of the Governor Otti-led administration, pointing out that Abia has now earned a place on the global sporting map as the home of para badminton in Nigeria.
Mr. George, who celebrated a major milestone in the women’s wheelchair singles event, where a Nigerian of Abia origin dethroned the Egyptian world champion, announced that Abia State had secured approval to host the tournament again next year.
He added that the National Sports Commission had also endorsed Abia as the permanent host for para badminton in Nigeria and assured that the state would build on the success of this year’s event.
