Nigeria produced one of its finest outings in the history of the African Taekwondo Championships after claiming a historic seven-medal haul at the 2026 edition in Bamako, Mali, while Morocco successfully defended its continental crown for the third consecutive time.

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The championships, held from May 29 to 31, featured over 300 athletes from 32 countries competing for honours across various categories.

Morocco once again underlined its dominance in African taekwondo by topping both the men’s and women’s standings, extending the reign it began in 2022.

The North Africans secured six gold medals through Soufiane El Asbi (+87kg), Haitam Zaghouti (-80kg), Mohamed Amine Dhaheri (-68kg), Amina Dehhaoui (-57kg), Farah Touzani (-46kg), and Oumaima El Bouchti (-53kg).

Morocco also added three silver medals courtesy of Nezha El Assal, Hajiba Harakat, and Nada Laaraj, while Fatima Zahra Nems, Khadija Lamdarar, Lamia El Bekour, Mariam Enniya, Abdelhamid Abdouni, and Zakaria Lakhouir contributed six bronze medals to cap another dominant campaign.

Their supremacy was further reflected in the individual awards as Moroccan official Naima Belach was named Best Referee, while Badr Smaili won Best Men’s Coach and Hakima El Meslahy claimed the Best Women’s Coach award.

Despite Morocco’s dominance, Nigeria emerged as one of the standout teams at the tournament after returning home with seven medals from an 11-athlete contingent and two coaches.

Nigeria won three gold medals, one silver, and three bronze medals — a remarkable achievement that highlighted the country’s growing status in African taekwondo.

Ability Mathew Udom secured gold in the Para Taekwondo category, Haruna Usman triumphed in Poomsae, while Aderibigbe Faridah delivered another gold medal in the Kyorugi sparring event.

Nigeria’s lone silver medal came through the combined efforts of Abdulafeez and Faridah in the Poomsae event, while Joel Jordan, Chidinma Okoko, and Salaudeen Abdulazeez claimed bronze medals.

The performance marked a major improvement in Nigeria’s history at the African Championships, which began in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1996.

Before Bamako 2026, Nigeria had managed only two gold medals, nine silver medals, and 19 bronze medals in the competition’s history.

Reacting to the achievement, President of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, Ms. Temitayo Kuburat Popoola, praised the athletes and officials for their commitment and determination.

“The team’s remarkable performance reflects the dedication, hard work and resilience of the athletes, coaches and support personnel who represented Nigeria with distinction on the continental stage,” Popoola stated.

The federation also commended the technical crew, the National Sports Commission, and other stakeholders for their support, noting that the success in Bamako would further inspire investment in athlete development and strengthen Nigeria’s position among Africa’s leading taekwondo nations.

Nigeria’s contingent is expected back in the country on Wednesday evening aboard an Asky Airlines flight following one of the nation’s most successful campaigns at the continental championship.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, David Bird, says the 650,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) refinery has a substantial surplus of jet fuel and is well-positioned to supply global markets.

Mr Bird disclosed this on Tuesday during a speech at the S&P Global Energy Middle East Petroleum and Gas Conference in London.

“We’re very grateful to be seen as a reliable, high-quality and dependable supplier able to land our product competitively all over the world,” Reuters quoted Mr Bird as saying.

According to him, lower demand within Africa compared to other regions has created export opportunities for the refinery.

His comments come at a time when global energy markets remain under pressure following tensions involving the US, Israel and Iran, which heightened concerns over supply disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and contributed to volatility in fuel markets.

Jet fuel has been among the products significantly affected by these disruptions, with prices remaining elevated in many markets.

Mr Bird’s remarks also come amid persistent concerns within Nigeria’s aviation industry over the rising cost of Jet A1 fuel.

In recent months, PREMIUM TIMES has reported extensively on the pressure facing domestic airlines as aviation fuel prices surged, prompting warnings about possible disruptions and operational challenges.

Several operators, including Air Peace, United Nigeria Airlines and Ibom Air, have repeatedly complained about soaring Jet A1 prices, saying the development has strained operations and disrupted schedules.

The situation prompted government intervention after airline operators warned that sustained increases in aviation fuel costs could threaten the survival of some carriers.

Despite those interventions, airlines continue to report operational difficulties linked to fuel costs, including delays, cancellations and reduced flight frequencies.

However, the situation has also created opportunities for refiners outside the Gulf region, including Dangote Refinery, to expand exports to international markets.

Mr Bird said the refinery is currently operating at full nameplate capacity and is planning what he described as a “ruthless replication” strategy to expand output.

“We will bring 700,000 barrels per day of fully complex refining capacity on stream by the end of 2028,” he said, adding that long-lead equipment has already been procured while construction contracts are being awarded.

He added that the group could eventually increase refining capacity to 2.1 million bpd, supported by plans for another refinery in East Africa, positioning the company as a major player in global crude and refined product markets.

“Nigeria has gone from fuel scarcity to absolute fuel abundance since the Dangote refinery came online,” Mr Bird said.

According to Kpler data cited last month, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery exported an estimated 57 million barrels of jet fuel between April 2024 and April 2026.

The data showed exports rose from about 20,000 barrels per day in April 2024 to around 65,000 barrels per day by the end of that year before peaking at approximately 160,000 barrels per day during the review period.

The figures highlight the growing role of refined petroleum exports in Nigeria’s energy sector, particularly aviation fuel, as the country seeks to strengthen domestic refining capacity and reduce dependence on imported products.