Empire Fighting Chance shares learning on Nigeria knowledge exchange

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A week-long exchange in Abeokuta brought Empire Fighting Chance together with Peace Initiative Network and partners to share learning about supporting young people and building safer communities.

Members of the Empire Fighting Chance team travelled to Abeokuta, Nigeria, as part of a week-long knowledge exchange with Peace Initiative Network (PIN) and Peace in Our Cities (PiOC).

The visit brought together organisations and practitioners from the UK and Nigeria to share ideas and best practice around violence prevention, community safety and supporting young people.

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    The Abeokuta–Bristol Exchange brought Empire Fighting Chance and Peace Initiative Network together to share learning on using sport to build safer communities.

For Empire, the purpose was two-way: to share what we have learned through our work in Bristol, while learning from PIN and the communities they work alongside in Ogun State.

Why Empire Fighting Chance travelled to Nigeria

The exchange was an opportunity to explore what communities in Bristol and Abeokuta can learn from one another.

While the context in Nigeria is very different from Bristol, many of the challenges facing young people felt remarkably familiar.

"Whether in Bristol or Abeokuta, exclusion creates vulnerability. Young people who lack belonging become more susceptible to gangs, organised violence or exploitation."

 

Martin Bisp, Executive Director for Global Partnerships and Impact, Empire Fighting Chance

 

The exchange reinforced a central belief that has shaped Empire's work for 20 years: lasting change is built through trusted relationships within communities.

Learning from communities in Abeokuta

Throughout the exchange, the Empire team met community leaders, government officials, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, police representatives and frontline practitioners.

These conversations explored how different parts of a community can work together to prevent violence and create environments where young people feel a sense of belonging.

One of the most significant lessons was the importance of patience, relationships and local leadership.

Empire saw how PIN works across political, community and institutional systems, bringing different voices together around a shared ambition for safer communities.

"If we genuinely believe community organisations hold solutions to some of society's biggest challenges, then we have a responsibility not only to deliver great work but also to advocate for it at the highest level."

Martin Bisp, Executive Director for Global Partnerships and Impact, Empire Fighting Chance

Sharing Empire's non-contact boxing approach

The exchange also provided an opportunity for us to share our experience of using non-contact boxing and psychology to support young people.

Our team delivered a coaching clinic for around 20 coaches and community practitioners, introducing practical elements of our approach and exploring how boxing can be used to engage young people, support wellbeing and contribute to safer communities. 

The session moved beyond boxing as a sport. It explored how a boxing gym can become a trusted space where young people feel comfortable, build relationships and have conversations they might not otherwise have.

Seeing our approach resonate in a very different cultural setting was an important reminder of the potential of boxing as a tool for engaging and supporting young people.

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    Young people and coaches who participated in the sessions in Abeokuta

What Nigeria taught us about preventing youth violence

The exchange also highlighted the similarities between the challenges facing young people in different communities.

Whether in Bristol or Abeokuta, young people can experience exclusion, a lack of belonging and vulnerability to gangs, violence and exploitation.

The visit reinforced the importance of creating places where young people feel they belong and where trusted adults can build relationships with them.

The team also saw how PIN deliberately uses relationships with political leaders, traditional authorities, civil society, police and the media to influence conversations around violence prevention.

This provided important learning for Empire about the role community organisations can play not only in delivering effective programmes, but also in advocating for change at a wider systems level.

Meeting former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo

One of the most significant moments of the exchange was a meeting with former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The conversation explored the relationship between local and global peace and the importance of locally owned solutions.

For Empire, the discussion reinforced the belief that communities themselves are essential to creating sustainable change.

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    Boxing equipment generously donated by Anthony Joshua formed part of the wider Abeokuta–Bristol exchange, supporting boxing activities for young people and coaches in Ogun State.

Boxing equipment donated to support young people in Nigeria

Alongside the knowledge exchange, the visit included the handover of boxing equipment generously donated by Anthony Joshua, helping provide gloves, pads and protective equipment for young people and coaches in Ogun State. 

The donation was an important contribution to local boxing activity, but for Empire it was one part of a much wider exchange focused on knowledge, relationships and the shared use of sport to build safer communities.

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    A young participant takes part in a non-contact boxing session during the Abeokuta–Bristol exchange in Nigeria.

What happens next for Empire Fighting Chance?

The trip has reinforced our belief that communities are central to creating lasting change.

Different countries may face different circumstances, but the need for young people to have trusted adults, positive relationships, a sense of belonging and meaningful opportunities is universal.

By bringing learning from Abeokuta back to Bristol, Empire will continue to explore how its experience of using boxing to support young people can evolve, while sharing relevant learning with the wider network of boxing organisations across the UK.

The aim is simple: to learn from one another, strengthen our work and ultimately create better opportunities for young people and safer communities.

Find out more about our work

Whether you're looking to refer a young person, explore partnership opportunities or simply learn more about our work, we'd love to hear from you.

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