Abia para-badminton athletes win seven golds in Uganda

Team Nigeria delivered a spectacular performance at the 2026 Uganda Para-Badminton International, securing 13 medals, with Abia State athletes accounting for seven golds.

Team Nigeria delivered a spectacular performance at the 2026 Uganda Para-Badminton International in Kampala, securing 13 medals. Athletes from Abia State dominated the July 17 event, accounting for 10 of the medals, including seven golds. Star performers like Obinna Precious Nwosu, Chigozie Jeremiah Nnanna, and Elijah Eneojo Agada secured victories in their respective categories. The stellar outing underscores Nigeria’s growing strength as a powerhouse in continental para-badminton.

The performance follows the team’s impressive showing at the same tournament last week, where Nigeria also won multiple medals. The consistency of the para-badminton team is a testament to the growing investment in the sport.

This echoes the 2020s rise of Nigerian para-athletes, who have consistently performed well on the continental stage. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: Nigerian athletes proving they can compete with the best.

The winners: the Abia State athletes, who have made their state proud; the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, which has built a winning programme; and Nigerian para-sports, which continue to shine. The losers: other states that have not invested in para-sports, and the Federal Government, which has not matched the support provided by sub-national governments.

Bottom Line: Abia athletes won seven golds in Uganda. The state is investing in para-sports. The question is whether the rest of Nigeria will follow.