The Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) has announced plans to introduce and regulate professional boxing under its framework as part of a sweeping reform aimed at protecting boxers’ welfare, ensuring transparency, and strengthening grassroots development across the country.
Chairman of the Marketing Committee of the current NBF board, Mr. Azania Omo-Agege, disclosed the new initiative while outlining the federation’s vision to blend professional boxing with the existing amateur system.
According to Omo-Agege, the move is designed to give the federation greater control over boxing activities in Nigeria, especially in areas where boxers’ health, age verification and contractual rights have previously been overlooked.
“We are about to launch professional boxing under the Nigeria Boxing Federation. What we have been doing has been purely amateur, but now we want to integrate professional boxing into that structure so we can properly manage and protect our boxers,” he said.
He explained that the initiative aligns with new policies of the National Sports Commission on age discrepancies in sports, noting that the federation intends to strictly enforce proper age documentation to eliminate falsification of athletes’ ages.
“The days of artificial ages on passports are over. We want to know the true ages of our boxers so we can manage them properly and responsibly,” Omo-Agege stated.
As part of the reforms, the NBF plans to take boxing development to the grassroots by scouting talents from secondary schools, colleges of education, polytechnics and universities. The federation, he said, will groom these athletes from their formative years through the amateur ranks and guide them into professional boxing under a structured and monitored system.
Omo-Agege also expressed concern over the frequent loss of Nigerian boxers to foreign professional promoters after major competitions such as the Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games and African championships.
“The government spends money training these boxers, and once they get exposure, promoters just pick them up. They reap where they did not sow, and the country loses boxers who should be representing Nigeria,” he said.
Under the new plan, the federation intends to oversee boxers’ transition into professional careers, ensuring that they are not exploited through unfair contracts. He noted that many boxers lack formal education and often fall victim to agreements that offer little financial benefit.
“NBF wants to be in control of the contracts so they will benefit our boxers in the long run. We don’t want them signing slave contracts they cannot even read or understand,” he added.
The federation also plans to affiliate with global professional boxing bodies such as the World Boxing Council (WBC) and the World Boxing Association (WBA). Omo-Agege said such affiliations would give Nigerian boxers better opportunities to compete for world titles under internationally recognised platforms.
In addition, the NBF will prioritise boxers’ health and safety by maintaining comprehensive medical and health insurance records to ensure fighters are fit to compete and properly cared for in the event of injuries.
“Our responsibility is not just to train boxers to fight, but to protect their health, careers and future,” Omo-Agege said.
The new initiative marks what the federation describes as a historic step towards reforming boxing administration in Nigeria and securing a sustainable future for the sport and its athletes.