Nigeria, Saudi to partner on Sambo development

Nigeria Sambo Association has sealed a strategic partnership with the Saudi Sambo Committee under the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Sport following Nigeria’s impressive rise in the sport over the past 10 months.

The collaboration, initiated by the Saudi Government, recognises Nigeria’s emergence as a dominant force in African Sambo, following the country’s remarkable debut at the 2023 African Games in Ghana, where the four-man Nigerian team claimed one gold, one silver and one bronze medal in the demonstration sport.

Nigeria’s recent exploits include participation in the African Championships in Egypt, the World Beach Championships in Morocco and the World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, where they became the first African nation to field a blind athlete.

Vice President of the Sambo Association of Nigeria, Sheriff Hammed, revealed that Nigeria’s rapid progress caught the attention of Saudi authorities, leading to the partnership aimed at facilitating technical exchange between both nations.

In a letter to the Nigerian body, Ahmed Saud, CEO of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Sport, emphasised that the collaboration emerged from productive discussions in Astana.

“We are eager to strengthen and develop this relationship on all fronts to serve the sport and elevate the level of competition.

“We look forward to further fruitful collaboration and are excited to exchange ideas and experiences that will support the sport of Sambo,” Saud stated.

Hammed expressed delight at Nigeria becoming a reference point for other nations, highlighting the country’s remarkable progress in the past 12 months.

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