LAGOS, Nigeria, July 3, 2025 – Development and support of Olympic fencing took an important step during the recent 2025 African Senior Fencing Championships in Lagos. International Fencing Federation (FIE) Secretary-General Gulnora Saidova, with African Fencing Confederation President Mbagnick Ndiaye and Nigerian Fencing Federation President Adeyinka Samuel held a high-level summit meeting with representatives of UNICEF Nigeria to explore a strategic and collaborative partnership focused on utilizing fencing a powerful tool for empowering youth, education, peacebuilding and sustainable development. Sharing a vision to leverage sport – and fencing, in particular – as a transformative vehicle for social inclusion and change combined with child development, the meeting underscored the tremendous opportunities the partnership promises to provide to Nigeria and potentially the entire African continent.
UNICEF Nigeria officials participating in the meeting included Ronak Khan, Deputy Representative (Programmes); Kundra Bharat, Skill Development and Youth Empowerment Specialist; and Emmanuel Bamidele, Youth Engagement and Partnership officer. Attendees at the meeting also included Novak Perovic, FIE Vice President and African Confederation Vice President; Obinna Anyanwu, Vice Chairman, Organizing Committee and Executive Committee Member; and Rachael Samuel, Vice President, Nigerian Fencing Federation.
The proposed partnership comprises four key collaborative components:
- Pilot fencing programmes in priority regions
- Focal areas include public schools, Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and community youth centers
- Deploying FIE-certified coaches and equipment donations
- Kick-starting programmes through technical support provided by FIE coaches
- FIE equipment made available to students to overcome financial limitations
- Joint resource mobilization and visibility
- Attracting donor funding and enhancement of partnership visibility via joint branding and outreach initiatives
- Media engagement and global advocacy
- Leveraging the FIE’s global communications and platform with UNICEF’s communications networks to amplify advocacy for youth and sports
“At the FIE, we are committed to developing fencing throughout the world, both as a sport and a platform for social and cultural development”, said Secretary-General Saidova. “We are extremely pleased and excited with the opportunities we discussed with UNICEF Nigeria, and we deeply appreciate the prospect of this collaborative initiative and what it can bring to Nigeria, all African nations and the world. We believe in the power of sport to enhance the lives of people everywhere.”
“This partnership is a major step toward using fencing to empower and uplift young people across Nigeria”, said Nigerian Fencing Federation President Adeyinka Samuel. “We’re proud to scale our grassroots efforts into a national movement for education, inclusion and opportunity through sport.”
Presenting Nigerian Fencing’s Work and Progress. At the meeting, the Nigerian Fencing Federation shared key details of its existing grassroots programmes and development initiative. This began in 2017, in partnership with the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), REACH Africa and the Ministry of Education to form F.E.E.D. SPORTS Nigeria. This successful groundwork has created a strong foundation to scale up fencing development nationwide in partnership with FIE and UNICEF. The following accomplishments and ongoing programmes are providing positive change and growth:
- Introduction of fencing to over 3,000 students across public schools and underserved communities
- Establishment of fencing “hub” locations within Lagos
- Provision of regular training and equipment for beginning and new fencers
- Ten full fencing scholarships (for boys and girls) awarded to private educational institutions
UNICEF’s Response and Strategic Fit. At the meeting, UNICEF Nigeria strongly expressed interest in the partnership proposal, noting how the initiative aligns well with their own core objectives:
- Child protection
- Youth engagement
- Skill development
- Peacebuilding through sport
UNICEF confirmed its capacity for nationwide reach through existing youth programmes and structures, indicating it would be the first sport-based development initiative under UNICEF Nigeria. This proposed initiative offers the potential of becoming a landmark programme for both youth and fencing development in Africa.
Next Steps and Action Points. Meeting participants agreed upon multiple priorities and phases to carry the proposal forward.
- The Nigerian Fencing Federation will revisit and revise existing development initiatives to ensure they align with UNICEF programmatic goals
- The FIE, NFF and UNICEF Nigeria will collaborate on a scalable framework for national implementation
- A working group will be established to develop a detailed proposal and implementation roadmap
- All parties committed to engaging stakeholders, donor and the media to support and promote the initiative
This strategic partnership represents a key and significant opportunity for fencing to be a transformative tool enabling development, in particular for vulnerable youth. With the joint commitment from the FIE, the Nigerian Fencing Federation and UNICEF Nigeria, pioneering a scalable, sustainable model for sports-driven development with global visibility and long-term impact can drive positive growth and progress for the benefit of all.