The 2025 edition of the annual IFBB West Africa championship took place on Saturday 26 April at the Ga-Mashie Hall of the Bukom Boxing Arena located in Accra, the capital city of Ghana. It was a well-attended event, with participants coming in from host nation Ghana, Togo, the Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Tanzania and Nigeria. Nigeria paraded a 7-man team this year, comprising of 1 woman and 6 men, competing across various divisions (categories).
As usual, the best of West African talent was on show, and the various line-ups were predictably tough. Team Nigeria posted a creditable showing though, with athletes like Eniola Siwoniku, Samuel Akinrolabu and David Zachaeus nicking silver medals in the Women's Bikini Open, Men’s bodybuilding (over 90kg) and the Men’s Physique (up to and including 179cm) divisions respectively, while Augustine Ezenkwochi secured a bronze medal in the Men’s Physique (over 179cm) division. The overall show itself was won by Fabrice Simo Fotso, a Cameroonian bodybuilder based in the Gulf nation of Bahrain who competed in the Men’s bodybuilding (up to and including 90kg) division, walking away with a prestigious IFBB Pro card, as did other category winners. The athletes of the host nation, Ghana, also put on a very strong performance as well.
The competition served as yet another exciting opportunity for the blooding of new talent and the revelation of the stars of tomorrow, and each participant can justifiably be proud of their efforts!
The NBD
*Images courtesy of The Ghana Bodybuilding & Fitness Association; David Zacchaeus; and Emmanuel Nwobodo
