The countdown is real, and the mood is purposeful. With the formation of a Local Organising Committee and an emphatic embrace of Para Armwrestling, Nigeria has set a confident tone for the inaugural West African Para Games 2025 scheduled for Abeokuta in Ogun State from November 26 to December 4, 2025.
It is more than a date on the calendar. It is a signal of intent, a statement that West Africa’s para-athletes will gather under one banner, compete in multiple disciplines, and showcase the power of sport to unify and elevate. The momentum around Abeokuta is building, and it is anchored by clear planning and high-level collaboration.
A clear schedule and a host city ready
The official program sets a tidy rhythm for the week-long championship in Abeokuta. Participating delegations are expected to arrive between November 26 and 27, competition days run from November 28 to December 3, and departures are slated for December 4, 2025. That timetable, released by the National Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, offers athletes and teams the clarity required for focused preparation, travel, and recovery.
For a first edition, this kind of structure matters. It helps federations map logistics and it signals the organisers’ commitment to a smooth athlete experience in Abeokuta, the city that has steadily become a reliable stage for major events.
Local organising committee appointed to deliver a world class debut
To turn vision into execution, the National Sports Commission has inaugurated a 13-member Local Organising Committee for the maiden event that will unite West Africa’s Zones A and B. The committee is chaired by Achakpo Victor, with a mandate to deliver a seamless and world-class championship in Abeokuta.
This appointment aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s push to make Nigeria a preferred destination for international competitions under the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy, known as RHINSE. It is a strategic line of effort that blends national ambition with regional service.
LOC members shaping the groundwork
- Babatunde Adeluola,
- Adesiyan Abimbola,
- Musa Mustapha,
- Fayigbe Olubusiyi,
- Kelechi Onwudiwe,
- Michael Obasi,
- Deji Aladegbemi,
- Muhammed Amin Mahmud,
- Joy Mayaki,
- Henrietta Ehiobor,
- Hauwa Sulaibu.
Suleiman Isah will serve as secretary, a role central to cohesion and pace as preparations intensify over the coming weeks.
What the NSC is saying
Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, framed the LOC’s inauguration within a larger trajectory of successful hosting. He referenced the CAA U18 and U20 Athletics Championship in Abeokuta and the National Sports Festival as proof points that Nigeria is raising its event delivery standards.
We have achieved commendable successes with major international events hosted this year, including the CAA U18/U20 Athletics Championship in Abeokuta and the National Sports Festival. The West African Para Games will further showcase Nigeria’s readiness to host world-class competitions.
That message is as much an assurance to visiting teams as it is a challenge to organisers. It sets the bar high and invites everyone involved to meet it.
Partnership with the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria
The NSC has underscored its collaboration with the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, highlighting the role of its President, Sunday Odebode, in securing hosting rights. The synergy here is practical and symbolic, pairing administrative muscle with para sports leadership to ensure that athletes are at the centre of every decision.
We are working hand in hand with the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, and we are confident that para-athletes from across West Africa will enjoy a world-class experience in Abeokuta.
Para Armwrestling earns a historic seat at the table
Among the earliest headline developments is the inclusion of Para Armwrestling as one of the key sports of the Games. The Nigeria Armwrestling Federation, led by President Engr. Samuel Jackson, hailed the decision of the National Paralympic Committee of Nigeria as bold and progressive, a move that promotes inclusivity, opportunity, and equal representation across African sport.
For para-athletes who have long pushed for a regional platform, this is more than a schedule change. As Jackson put it, Para Armwrestling is a symbol of strength, courage, and resilience. The federation has pledged full collaboration with the organisers and has already begun mobilising and training Nigeria’s team, aiming to represent the nation and the continent with pride.
We are extremely delighted by this recognition. Having our para-athletes compete on a regional platform for the very first time is not only historic but also an important statement that sports truly belong to everyone.
Those words resonate because they echo the heart of para sport. Opportunity creates belief, belief fuels progress, and progress inspires the next generation to step forward.
Why this first edition matters
First editions set tone, culture, and expectation. By convening top para-athletes from across the subregion for multiple disciplines, the West African Para Games aim to build a new era of cooperation and visibility for para-sports in Africa. For Nigeria, it is also a reinforcement of leadership in sports innovation and inclusivity, a theme repeated by federations and administrators alike.
Inclusion carries a practical edge too. It activates pathways that reach beyond the field of play, from community engagement to athlete empowerment, and from rehabilitation to self-expression. As the Nigeria Armwrestling Federation emphasised, the milestone can motivate more persons with disabilities to embrace sport as a tool for confidence and opportunity, an outcome that stretches well beyond podiums and medals.
Abeokuta welcomes West Africa with ambition and hospitality
The organisers have set their sights on a world-class athlete experience. That commitment is reflected in the NSC’s continued investment in infrastructure, athlete welfare, and international collaboration, a strategy designed to elevate Nigeria’s sporting profile while delivering practical benefits on the ground.
For visitors, Abeokuta offers a setting that has already hosted significant competitions, a detail that reassures teams focused on performance and routine. For hosts, this is another chance to sharpen delivery and demonstrate that a regional championship can feel both intimate and elite, with Zones A and B represented and welcomed.
Leadership, alignment, and the road to November
There is a useful alignment at play. National ambition under RHINSE meets regional aspiration for a dedicated para-sport platform, and event professionals are in place to steward the details. The LOC’s composition spans respected figures in sports administration, logistics, and para sports development, a blend that speaks to the complexity and promise of the task.
From the NSC’s vantage point, recent hosting successes are not endpoints, they are reference points. From federation perspectives, inclusion announcements like Para Armwrestling are catalysts that spur training blocks, team selection, and technical preparations. The shared objective is clear, build a championship that athletes remember for the right reasons, and that fans embrace with enthusiasm.
Quotes that capture the moment
Some statements deserve to be read twice. Olopade’s assurance that Nigeria will showcase readiness to host world-class competitions offers a public benchmark for organisers and stakeholders. Jackson’s sentiment that sports truly belong to everyone is a reminder that inclusion is not a slogan, it is a standard. These are not competing ideas. Together, they form the spine of what the West African Para Games can become.
In practical terms, that means athletes arrive to a venue and schedule that respects their routines, officials operate with clarity and consistency, and fans witness competition that dignifies effort and celebrates excellence. The LOC’s work now is to turn those ideals into operational reality, one decision and one deliverable at a time.
What to watch next
Preparations will intensify, as confirmed by the National Sports Commission, and collaboration with the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria remains central. The Nigeria Armwrestling Federation has already shifted into preparation mode, and other disciplines will be locking in plans as delegations firm up travel and training calendars.
For supporters across West Africa, the story to watch is straightforward, how a first-time championship can balance regional unity with athlete-centred delivery. For hosts in Nigeria, the test is equally clear, sustain the organisational standards referenced by the NSC and keep the athlete experience front and centre. If both threads hold, Abeokuta will be remembered as the starting line for something meaningful.
Final word
The early signals are promising. A defined schedule, a committed LOC, and a welcomed addition in Para Armwrestling all point in the same direction. The West African Para Games 2025 now move from announcement to action, and the next months will knit together the details that transform vision into a living, breathing championship.
When teams arrive in late November 2025, they will be stepping into more than a competition. They will be stepping into a collective effort to elevate para sport across the region, and into a host city and country intent on doing justice to the athletes who make it all matter.
