Emergency Meeting to Resolve Nigerian Boxing Crisis
The President of the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF), who also serves as the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has called for an emergency board meeting in Abuja. This move comes as a response to the ongoing conflict between the NBF and the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC). The situation has been a source of concern for stakeholders in the sport for the past three months.
Edun is stepping in to address the crisis that has disrupted the smooth functioning of Nigerian boxing. The NBF board is expected to convene with him to consolidate its position before engaging with the NBBofC and other key players in an effort to restore stability to the sport.
According to sources within the NBF, the minister has been receiving numerous complaints about the dispute and is determined to bring it to an end. One insider revealed, “The minister is not pleased with what is happening in boxing, especially the ongoing impasse between some NBF board members and the NBBofC. This is not good for the image of the sport, and he has decided to summon an emergency meeting with the NBF before meeting the NBBofC and other stakeholders. The aim is to end the crisis and restore stability to the sport across the country.”
The Core of the Conflict
The current crisis stems from the NBF’s decision to establish a Professional Boxing Commission and assume regulatory control over the sport. This proposal has been strongly opposed by the NBBofC, which has led to calls for intervention from the National Sports Commission.
The NBF had previously announced the creation of this commission, which includes dedicated directorates covering areas such as licensing, medical and safety, officiating, matchmaking, sanctioning, anti-doping, integrity, and disciplinary control. The federation described this move as a historic turning point for Nigerian boxing.
Despite the NBF’s intentions, the situation has not been resolved, and stakeholders have expressed frustration over the lack of progress in addressing the issue.
Differing Perspectives
Azania Omo-Agege, a pro committee board member and former Vice President of the NBF, told The PUNCH that he was unaware of any upcoming meeting. He stated, “I have not heard anything about a meeting, but I don’t think any meeting is necessary to solve the issue at hand. The NBF board has held several meetings.”
Omo-Agege emphasized that the NBF is not seeking to take over professional boxing in Nigeria but rather wants to establish a regulatory body. He added, “We have been in discussions with the NBBofC President, Rafiu Oladipo, and we want to clarify that we are not trying to take over professional boxing in Nigeria; we are only seeking to establish a regulatory body.”
On the other hand, NBBofC Secretary-General Remi Aboderin confirmed that he had heard about the proposed meeting. He said, “Yes, I understand that he (Edun) intends to meet with us. The minister’s personal assistant mentioned it to me, but a date has not yet been fixed. I cannot say if it will resolve the issues at hand, but we will see what comes out of it.”
Lessons from Ghana
The Ghana Boxing Interim Management Committee has also shared its perspective on the matter, supporting the separation of amateur and professional boxing structures based on its own experience.
Chairman of the committee, Samir Captan, explained that Ghana operates a dual system where amateur boxing is managed by the federation with government support, while professional boxing is overseen by a private body. He noted that this model has helped maintain focus in both areas of the sport.
“Amateur boxing focuses on talent development and national representation, while professional boxing emphasizes commercial competition and entertainment. Having separate governing bodies allows for more effective policies and accountability tailored to each arm of the sport,” he said.
Captan advised Nigeria to preserve the independence of both systems, noting that the approach has ensured a balance between government backing and private sector involvement in Ghana.
