It was an exciting time last weekend, Saturday 11 October to be precise, as even as Derek Lunsford went on to reclaim his Olympia title, leaving defending champ Samson Dauda trailing in 4th place, while Andrew Jacked moved up to a career-best 3rd place, in Africa there was a much smaller but no less significant event holding same day, which no doubt will play a major role in the overall ongoing worldwide growth of the sport. It was the 2025 edition of the IFBB Mr. Universe Nigeria championship, staged at the prestigious MUSON Centre in the Onikan neighbourhood of central Lagos. Being a regional event, there was an impressive turnout from across West Africa, with athletes from host country Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Niger and even from as far afield as the USA present. 7 IFBB Elite Pro cards were handed out at this show, with the winners of each of the Open bodybuilding (85kg and above), Open bodybuilding (up to 85kg), Men’s Physique (up to 182cm), Men’s Physique (above 182cm), Women’s Physique, Women’s Bikini and Men’s Classic Physique divisions becoming IFBB-certified Elite pro bodybuilders. Here is a breakdown of the results:
Women’s Physique Open category
Position Athlete name Athlete country
1 Jocelyne Adjohou* Benin
Women’s Bikini Open category
Position Athlete name Athlete country
1 Maya Strzempka* USA
Men’s Physique (up to 182cm) category
Position Athlete name Athlete country
1 David Zacheaus* Nigeria
2 Alfred Botchway Ghana
3 Alfred Sogomote Nigeria
4 Hammed Badmus Nigeria
5 Ekerette James Nigeria
6 Ikechukwu Okafor Nigeria
Men’s Physique (above 182cm) category
Position Athlete name Athlete country
1 Mouyidine Monirou* Benin
2 Dave Junior Momo Liberia
3 Reagan Mends Ghana
4 Ebuka Ezekwochi Nigeria
Men’s Classic Physique category
Position Athlete name Athlete country
1 Mohamed Kamara* Sierra Leone
2 Collins Edeh Nigeria
3 Bem Benjamin Nigeria
4 Gideon Dung Pam Nigeria
5 Emmanuel Ikenna Nwobodo Nigeria
6 Abiodun Adedeji Nigeria
7 Joel Umoh Nigeria
Men’s Open bodybuilding (up to 85kg) category
Position Athlete name Athlete country
1 Edward Achi* Nigeria
2 Kouakou-Kouassi Komoe Cote d'Ivoire
3 Mathias Kayang Nigeria
4 Bignon Abadahoue Benin
5 Abdou Ali Niger
Men’s Open bodybuilding (above 85kg) category
Position Athlete name Athlete country
1 Samuel Femi Akinrolabu* Nigeria
2 Derrick Marley Ghana
3 Emmanuel Goodness Nigeria
*Athlete wins IFBB Elite Pro card
Congratulations to all the athletes who participated at the event! Coming up next to round up the 2025 competitive season in Nigeria is the Mr. Flex Nigeria championship scheduled for the 8th of November!
The NBD
Images courtesy of the Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation of Nigeria (ABBFN) & the Ghana Bodybuilding and Fitness Association (GBFA)
