The Invictus Games for military personnel wounded in service and established by Prince Harry of Britain has recently announced that Nigeria will compete in the biennial Paralympic-style games.

The tournament, which will take place in the city of Dusseldorf, Germany, is expected to have more than 500 competitors for the sixth edition of the week-long sporting event.

The Nigeria team will compete with 21 other nations in rounds of adaptive sports, making the West African country to be the first African country to participate in the games, as it was drafted into the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022.

Nigeria will make its first debut in this year’s sporting competition alongside Colombia and Israel.

Speaking to CNN, Corporal Effiom Antigha, Captain of the Nigerian Team said he was elated to compete in the games in September 2023, he said: “I feel delighted. Before now I did not think I could engage myself in any of these sporting activities”.

The 30-year-old Captain who had been fighting depression after he got injured said “the Invictus Foundation has helped develop me physically and mentally”.

Founded out of inspiration from a visit to the Warrior Games in the United States by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, the Invictus Games is an international multi-sport event which began in 2014 for wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women in military service and veterans.

In a press statement, Dominic Reid OBE, Chief Executive of the Foundation said he was thrilled that Nigeria has enlisted to participate in the games.