A major turning point in the growth and administration of professional boxing in Nigeria was reached on Saturday March 21, 2026 when the Progressive Professional Boxers Association of Nigeria (PPBA) was formally launched at the Sports Hall of the Police College in Ikeja, Lagos.
The major goal of the association is to unite boxers, creating a sustainable ecosystem that supports them beyond the ring, according to the coordinator of the group, Afinni Idris Abiodun, who his speech during the event said that they will establish a support fund to assist boxers; set up career programmes for retired fighters; ensure health insurance for boxers and promote fairness and fair hearings for Nigerian boxers, among other initiatives.
“We are going to be working on a support fund which will be established for our boxers, helping them focus on their careers without financial stress. For our retiring and retired boxers, we are going to be setting up career transition programmes, because we believe boxing is not just a sport but a career,” he noted.
Afinni and Hamzat Idris, in their separate speeches, reiterated their support, cooperation and allegiance to the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC), while other boxers individually toed the same path while speaking during the questions and answers segments of the programme.
“We’re proud to stand with the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC) – the only recognised body overseeing professional boxing in Nigeria. We align with NBBofC, we partner with NBBofC, and we endorse NBBofC as the sole governing body for professional boxing in Nigeria. If it’s not NBBofC, it’s not legitimate. We’ll work hand-in-hand with NBBofC to drive professional boxing forward in Nigeria,” said Afinni, the PPBA Coordinator, in his speech.
Speaking in the same vein, the assistant secretary of PPBA, Hamzat Idris, also said in his speech that “We’re proud to partner with the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC), the sole governing body for professional boxing in Nigeria. Together, we’ll align our strategies for better outcomes, drive boxing forward, and make Nigerian professional boxing a powerhouse on the global stage.”
The executives that were inaugurated include the following: Afinni Idris Abiodun is the coordinator; Obinna Mathew and Kabiru Towolawi are assistant coordinators; the secretary is Sikiru Sogbesan, while Hamzat Idris is the assistant secretary and Samuel Opaogun is the treasurer, and the assistant treasurer is Bolatito Oluwole.
The public relation officers for PPBA are Victor Chikalele, Celina Agwu and Chinedu Okeke. The organising secretaries are Farouk Abubakri, Obaro Eradajaye and Afolabi Shittu, while the financial secretaries remain Tunde Olojede and Blessing Chukwuede.
Ridwan Oyekola Scorpion is the Assistant Financial Secretary, while the dispute resolution/disciplinary team include Tony Salam, Oladimeji Akinde and Believe Oghuvwu.
