Weightlifting President, Commends NSC, NOC, Media For Support In 2025

President of Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF), Dr. Ibrahim Alaid Abdul has expressed deep appreciation to the National Sports Commission (NSC), Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), the Media, board members of the federation, coaches, referees and athletes for their unprecedented support to the sport last year

Dr. Abdul in his New Year message signed by the Media Officer of the federation, Amaechi Agbo, thanked the stakeholders for identifying with weightlifting in 2025 which galvanized the sport to record medal hauls in both regional, continental and international engagements.

“I want to, first and foremost, thank Almighty God for granting us the Grace to see the new year. The year 2025 was a good one for us in the weightlifting family because we invested a lot and had good rewards.

“We participated in regional, continental and global competitions and held the flag of our nation high. We took part in many competitions including becoming African Champions after conquering the continent during the Senior African Weightlifting Championships held in Mauritius.

“Our athletes excelled in other engagements including the most recent one being the 4th Africa Youth Games in Launda, Angola last month.

“The success stories we had in year 2025 are products of the immense support the federation received from the National Sports Commission, the Nigeria Olympic Committee, the Media and all stakeholders who supported us in one way or the other.

“On behalf of the Board of Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, I want to express my appreciation to you all for being there for us last year We invested and we had returns on investments,” Dr Abdul said.

The Nigeria Weightlifting Federation witnessed an increase in the number of medals won in a calendar year by amassing a total of 49 gold, 14 silver and 7 bronze medals across seven regional, continental and global competitions during the year under review.

The federation began the year by featuring at the 2025 Senior African Weightlifting Championship in Mauritius from 20th- 28th April. The contingent returned home as Champions of Africa after amassing a total of 10 gold, 4 silver and a bronze medal to top the overall medals table.

At the Africa Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championship in Accra, Ghana held between 15 and 23 August, 2025, the federation returned home with 9 gold medals.

The feat was followed swiftly during the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship in India from 24 to 30 August, 2025 where the federation showed global dominance by winning 4 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals.

At the regional level, the federation participated in the 2025 Zone 2 West African Games in Bukina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou from 12 to 19 October, and won 9 gold medals.
Nigeria won a silver medal at the Senior World Weightlifting Championship held between 2 and 11 October, 2025 in Forde, Norway

NWF also participated in the 6th Islamic Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 8-12 November and came back with bag fully loaded with 13 medals comprising 6 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze.

The last competition of the year saw young, promising future lifters once again dominate the continent after our lifters went to Luanda in Angola and conquered other countries by winning 12 medals made up of 11 gold and a silver.

In-between these competitions, the federation also held a capacity training programme for athletes and coaches. The 10-day training had 30 participants made up of 22 athletes and 8 coaches.

A globally sought-after weightlifting coach, Maged Salama from Austria, coordinated the programme which received commendation from the NSC.

Another defining moment for weightlifting in the year 2025 was the conduct of the freest, most peaceful sports federation election in the country.
The NWF election held on August 16, saw Dr. Ibrahim Abdul returned as President to pilot the affairs of the federation for the next four years

“We did a lot and we could not have achieved these without the massive support of the stakeholders. The year 2026 unfolds with greater vigour to conquer the world. We have shown our superiority in Africa, we need to take it further. In the coming days, we will unfold our activities to the year to the media,” the President concluded.