NBF Pro targets better pay for boxers – Omo-Agege News

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NBF Pro targets better pay for boxers – Omo-Agege

By Daily Sports Nigeria on May 15, 2026

The newly appointed chairman of the Nigeria Boxing Federation’s pro-boxing committee, Azania Omo-Agege, has outlined plans to improve the earnings of Nigerian professional boxers by attracting credible promoters who can build sustainable careers for fighters, saying the current situation, where a celebrity boxing fight pays more than professional boxers, will change, The PUNCH reports.

Omo-Agege was speaking in the context of content creator Carter Efe’s N50 million prize gift for defeating singer Portable in a celebrity boxing bout at the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos on May 1, a figure that dwarfs what most professional boxers earn in Nigeria.

“Our focus at the Nigeria Boxing Federation is to create a system where promoters can come in, grow sustainably and also have the genuine interest of the boxers at heart. That is very important because promoters are key to improving the financial value of the sport,” Omo-Agege told The PUNCH.

“We need promoters who understand that boxing is not just about putting up one big event, but about building careers, creating opportunities and ensuring fighters are properly rewarded for their talent and hard work. If we get the right promoters involved and create the right structure, Nigerian boxers will no longer have to depend on celebrity fights to see big money in boxing. Professional boxing itself should be profitable enough for them.”

The NBF board member also stressed that the welfare of boxers remains central to the federation’s agenda, saying, “The federation has the interest of the boxers at heart. We want them to earn better fight purses, we want them to have more regular fights, and we want them to see boxing as a profession that can truly change their lives.

“This is why the NBF Pro is working seriously to open more doors for credible promoters, because when the business side improves, the welfare of the boxers improves as well.”

Omo-Agege’s appointment comes after the federation noted that the inclusion of professional boxers in the Olympics, with fighters of 15 bouts or fewer now eligible, makes proper record-keeping and oversight of the professional game even more critical going forward.

Omo-Agege previously served as vice president of the NBF and interim president towards the end of the former board’s tenure, and also held the position of vice president of the African Boxing Confederation, where he initiated several continental reforms.

Source Punch Ng

Posted May 15, 2026