From strapping on gloves in village arenas in in northern Nigeria, Dambe, a traditional Hausa combat sport is not set for its global debut with the help of international investors, a Hollywood heavyweight, and one of the biggest names in sports streaming.
A lagos based company, African Warriors Fighting Championship (AWFC), is responsible for repositioning this centuries-old form of boxing for the global stag. For the past five years, AWFC has been building a structured league around the raw and fast-paced fighting style.
In 2024, AWFC attracted the attention of Silverbacks Holdings, a Mauritius-based investment firm with a track record of successful bets in African fintechs like Flutterwave. Silverbacks has now backed the fighting league in a move that could transform Dambe into one of Africa’s most valuable sports exports.
“We’re witnessing a cultural product with global appeal. People already love combat sports. UFC, PFL, boxing — these formats prove there’s a huge appetite. Dambe offers something authentic and rooted, but with the same adrenaline, ” said Ibrahim Sagna, the executive chairman of Silverbacks in a recent interview.