Team Nigeria produced another dominant showing at the 2026 African Open Para Powerlifting Championships in Oran, Algeria, finishing runner-up with a total of 49 medals: 32 gold, 12 silver and five bronze.
National Sports Commission Director General Hon. Bukola Olopade lauded the squad’s resilience, discipline and patriotism during the event, calling the result another proud milestone for Nigerian sport.
“Once again, these athletes have displayed the real Nigerian spirit of excellence and determination,” he said, adding that the team’s work continued to motivate Nigerians while further boosting the nation’s reputation worldwide.
“I want to thank the athletes, coaches and officials for their commitment and sacrifices. We would like to assure our sports federations that the Commission will keep backing them, in line with the Federal Government’s renewed focus on sports development and our athletes.”
Over four days of high-intensity action featuring leading para powerlifters from Africa and other regions, Nigeria demonstrated strength, technical edge and a strong tournament mindset across multiple categories, highlighting the breadth of talent in the country’s para powerlifting setup.
The championships welcomed more than 150 competitors from around 20 countries, with participants including major para powerlifting nations such as Egypt, Algeria, Iran, Iraq and Jordan.
Egypt claimed first place in the medals standings with 84 overall prizes—47 gold, 28 silver and nine bronze—while Nigeria secured second with 49 medals. Algeria, the host country, ended third on 77 total medals, comprising 20 gold, 34 silver and 23 bronze.
