Nigeria's Independent Powerlifting Platform
Squat. Bench. Deadlift. Built here, for the lifters here — real competitions, real rankings, a real path from your local gym to the platform.
Squat. Bench. Deadlift. Built here, for the lifters here — real competitions, real rankings, a real path from your local gym to the platform.
SBD Nigeria exists because Nigerian lifters deserve a competition structure that actually works for them — accessible entry, fair judging, and a real ranking system that takes a lifter from their first local meet toward international competition.
We run our own selection meets, our own rankings, and our own path forward — not affiliated with the IPF. That's a deliberate choice: we set the standard for what African powerlifting competition should look like, on our own terms.
Fair, transparent judging on every attempt. Rankings by absolute and relative strength, published openly. A real route from your gym to the national stage — and eventually, international competition.
Every SBD Nigeria meet follows the same clear structure — here's exactly how a lifter's total and ranking are decided.
Every competitor lifts in the same order: Squat, then Bench Press, then Deadlift.
Each lifter gets three attempts at each of the three lifts, choosing their own weights and increasing as the session progresses. Only successful, judged attempts count.
For each lift, only the heaviest successful attempt is kept — a missed heavier attempt doesn't erase a good lighter one.
A lifter's best Squat, Bench, and Deadlift are added together for their total. Rankings are published within weight class, by absolute total and by relative strength.
Every attempt is controlled by the Head Judge's commands — a lifter who moves before a required command, or doesn't wait for it, risks a "no lift" regardless of how much weight they moved.
Note: there is no command to unrack, for either Squat or Bench Press — that part is entirely on the lifter's own timing. Judging begins once they're set and still.
No command to unrack — the lifter unracks and gets set at their own timing. Once still and in position, the judge gives:
"Squat" — begin the descent.
"Rack" — once locked out and still, return the bar.
No command to unrack either — lifter or handler brings the bar out to arms' length. Hold it motionless with elbows locked, then:
"Start" — lower the bar to the chest and hold it motionless.
"Press" — press to full lockout, elbows locked.
"Rack" — once locked out and still, return the bar.
No command to start — pull whenever you're ready. Lock out fully, then wait for:
"Down" — lower the bar under control.
SBD Nigeria is no longer one September registration. From Q1 2027, lifters from every state in Nigeria can qualify remotely through verified lift submissions — building a national ranking that decides who steps on the platform at the SBD Nigeria Championship, September 2027.
Enter the qualification season from anywhere in Nigeria.
Film your squat, bench and deadlift to the submission standards.
Verified totals go straight onto the national leaderboard.
Top-ranked lifters per category receive a Championship invitation on July 6.
Confirm your place — cheapest in July's ₦50,000 window — then lift at the SBD Nigeria 2027 Championship in September, live in Lagos.
Every athlete pays per official submission. One payment covers one complete submission: a filmed weigh-in plus your squat, bench and deadlift, judged together as one verified total.
You get up to 3 submissions across the season, and each is paid at the price of the window it's made in. Only your highest fully verified total counts toward final rankings.
Early ₦10,000 · Standard ₦15,000 · Final ₦20,000 — windows below.
Qualifying earns you an invitation, not automatic entry. Invitations go out July 6, after final verification — and the earlier you confirm, the less it costs.
Declined or unconfirmed places pass to the next-ranked athlete on the waitlist.
The confirmation ladder: ₦50,000 Jul 6–31 · ₦70,000 Aug 1–14 · ₦100,000 Aug 15–31. Unconfirmed places pass to the waitlist.
Each payment covers one complete official submission (weigh-in + squat, bench, deadlift). Up to 3 per athlete; the site always shows the current window's price.
Submissions close for the season after June 30, 2027. Payment goes live here the moment registration opens — until then, join the interest list below and you'll be emailed first.
Stage 2 — Championship confirmation (separate payment): invited athletes confirm their Finals place between July 6 and Aug 31 — ₦50,000 (Jul 6–31) → ₦70,000 (Aug 1–14) → ₦100,000 (Aug 15–31). This is the only other fee in the season.
Get on the athlete list now. You'll be first to hear when qualification registration opens in January — and your details seed your athlete profile for the season.
Everything an athlete needs to enter the season, submit lifts, and earn a place at the September Championship. Final numeric standards (qualifying totals and invites per category) are published before registration opens in January.
Open to lifters resident in Nigeria, aged 18+ (16–17 with guardian consent). Raw lifting only — belt, knee sleeves, wrist wraps and chalk permitted. Each athlete enters one weight category per season.
Women: 47 / 52 / 57 / 63 / 69 / 76 / 84 / 84+ kg
Men: 59 / 66 / 74 / 83 / 93 / 105 / 120 / 120+ kg
Final contested categories are confirmed at close of entries; low-entry categories may be merged and marked uncontested, as in 2026.
Up to 3 official submissions per athlete per season. A submission is one complete package — filmed weigh-in plus squat, bench and deadlift — judged together as one verified total. Each submission is paid for individually at the current window's price, and locks once sent for judging. Only your highest fully verified total counts toward final rankings.
Every submission includes a fresh filmed weigh-in: digital scale shown zeroed on camera, athlete weighed in gym attire. The weigh-in must be filmed no more than 24 hours before your lifting session — same session is simplest. The verified bodyweight fixes your category for that submission.
Every lift is judged by three SBD-trained officials, each voting independently — no judge sees the others' votes before casting their own. Two or more white lights is a Good Lift; two or more reds is a No Lift, with the reason recorded on every red. Lifts are judged to the completion standards in the Competition Format section above (depth, pause, lockout, control), referencing current IPF technical standards. A video the judges cannot reliably assess (bad framing, obscured plates) is ruled Cannot Judge — handled as an evidence problem, never counted as a failed lift. Reviews take 1–7 days depending on the queue, and the live Review Room below shows exactly where every submission stands. One appeal per submission is available within 48 hours of a decision.
Rankings run live within each category by best verified total (ties broken by lower bodyweight), with a pound-for-pound board by IPF GL points. The top-ranked athletes per category — plus anyone hitting the published qualifying total — receive a Championship invitation on July 6. Invited athletes then confirm their place on the Stage 2 ladder — ₦50,000 (Jul 6–31) → ₦70,000 (Aug 1–14) → ₦100,000 (Aug 15–31). Unconfirmed places pass to the waitlist.
— One continuous, unedited take per attempt. Cuts, speed changes or filters void the attempt.
— Full lifter and all plates visible for the entire lift; squat and deadlift filmed from a front-side ~45° angle, bench from the side.
— Bar loading shown on camera or plates clearly identifiable; collars on.
— State your full name, the date, and the attempt weight on camera before each lift.
— Upload through the submission portal link you receive at registration. Late or off-format submissions are not scored.
Yes — any gym in Nigeria, as long as your videos meet the filming and weigh-in standards. You don't need special equipment beyond a barbell, calibrated-style plates and a digital scale.
Two different things. A technically failed lift (majority red lights) stands: you'll see each reason, you can appeal once per submission within 48 hours, and the entry still counts toward your three — a new paid submission lets you go again. But a video the judges cannot assess — bad framing, plates not visible, corrupted upload — is not a failed lift: you get one free replacement, filmed fresh with valid verification, within 48 hours of the request. Replacements fix unusable evidence only; they never re-run a failed attempt.
No. You just need someone to film you and a scale for the weigh-in. Coaching helps, but it's not a requirement to enter.
You can adjust your intended category up to the final entry deadline (June 30). Your verified weigh-ins ultimately determine the category your totals rank in.
No. The Road to 2027 is open to first-time competitors — that's the point of taking qualification nationwide.
There are two separate payments in the season, paid online here on sbdnigeria.com. Stage 1: you pay per qualifier submission, at the current window's price — ₦10,000 (Jan 5–Feb 28), ₦15,000 (Mar 1–Apr 30), ₦20,000 (May 1–Jun 30) — up to 3 submissions, one opportunity per window. Stage 2: if you qualify, you pay a separate Championship confirmation fee — ₦50,000 (Jul 6–31), ₦70,000 (Aug 1–14), ₦100,000 (Aug 15–31): the earlier you confirm, the less it costs. Payment opens here on January 5, 2027.
Because they buy two different things. Stage 1 fees cover the qualifier itself — the review and verification of each submission you send. The Stage 2 confirmation fee secures your actual place on the Championship platform in September, and is only ever paid by invited athletes. Nobody pays Stage 2 unless they qualify, and qualifying alone doesn't charge you anything — confirming does.
Every submission is judged from video, so the video has to prove the lift. Follow these standards exactly — most rejections are filming problems, not strength problems.
You host your own videos — SBD Nigeria reviews them by link. The standard route is YouTube, uploaded as Unlisted (anyone with the link can watch; it never appears in search or on your channel page):
A Google Drive link set to "Anyone with the link" works too. Either way: one video per lift, plus one weigh-in video, and the links must stay live until the season ends — deleting a video invalidates the lift it proved.
▶ Watch the how-to videos on the SBD Nigeria YouTube channel
Everything below happens in a single continuous take — from stating your name to racking the bar. The camera never stops and the footage is never edited. No cuts. No splicing. No matter how long the video runs.
Every submission uploads exactly four videos to your athlete profile:
Start recording and state your full name, age and today’s date out loud.
Still recording, show every plate going onto the bar and state the total weight.
The recording runs unbroken from loading through the lift — no cuts, edits, slow-motion or speed changes.
The whole lifter and the full bar stay visible for the entire lift.
All three lifts in one session — each lift is its own single continuous video.
Landscape, stable camera, enough light to read the plates.
A video the judges cannot reliably assess — bad framing, hidden plates, broken upload — is ruled Cannot Judge, not a failed lift: you get one free replacement, filmed fresh, within 48 hours of the request.
Reviewers verify the evidence before they score it. Every submission is cross-checked:
A mismatch is ruled on as evidence. Deliberate deception — someone else's footage, re-dated videos, misloaded plates presented as full — means disqualification from the entire season with no refund.
Same one-take rules as the lifts. Open by stating your full name, age and today's date out loud. Then show the scale reading zero on a hard, flat floor, step on in your lifting attire, and hold still with the display clearly readable for at least 3 seconds — then say the weight on the scale out loud.
The clock starts here: all three lifts must be attempted within 24 hours of this weigh-in — same session is simplest. Every submission needs its own fresh weigh-in, and its YouTube upload date must sit within 24 hours of your three lift videos.
Side or front-quarter angle. Unrack, stand motionless, then squat until the hip crease is below the top of the knee, stand to full lockout, and return the bar under control.
Depth must be visible on camera — if the angle hides it, the lift can't be passed. No spotter touching the bar during the lift.
Angle showing head, feet and the bar. Lower to the chest and hold a visible pause — motionless for about one second — then press to full lockout with both elbows locked.
The pause replaces the live "Press" command in remote judging. No bouncing, no heaving, feet stay on the floor, hips stay on the bench.
Side or front angle, full body and bar visible. Pull to a complete lockout — knees locked, shoulders back, standing erect — then return the bar under control.
No straps (belt and chalk are fine). No hitching or resting the bar on the thighs. Dropping the bar from lockout invalidates the lift.
Paid on this website only, through the secure checkout that opens January 5. One payment per submission, at the current window's price; your payment reference is attached to your submission automatically.
SBD Nigeria never collects qualifier payments by DM, transfer request, or any other website. If it isn't the checkout on sbdnigeria.com, it isn't us.
Invited athletes receive a personal confirmation link with their invitation on July 6. The price follows the published ladder (₦50,000 → ₦70,000 → ₦100,000) by the date you confirm.
Your place is held until the ladder closes Aug 31; unconfirmed places pass to the waitlist.
Every submission is reviewed by three independent judges within 1–7 days. Progress updates here as each judge completes their review — decisions appear on the leaderboard the moment a submission is verified.
Official competition athletes, ranked within weight category. Tap any lifter to see all nine attempts — successful lifts count, struck-through lifts were failed, and "—" means no attempt was recorded. In categories with a single official entrant, the winner is marked uncontested.
| Place | Lifter | Bodyweight | Squat | Bench | Deadlift | Total | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57kg Category Uncontested | |||||||
| ▸ 1st | Victoria Offiong | 56.9kg | 153kg | 72kg | 165kg | 390kg | ₦150,000 |
| 63kg Category Uncontested | |||||||
| ▸ 1st | Abiola Olajumoke | 60.5kg | 170kg | 80kg | 180kg | 430kg | ₦150,000 |
| 76kg Category Contested | |||||||
| ▸ 1st | Olatunji Eunice | 75.3kg | 163kg | 80kg | 180kg | 423kg | ₦300,000 |
| ▸ 2nd | Saidat Hassan | 72.8kg | 130kg | 67kg | 180kg | 377kg | ₦150,000 |
| 84+kg Category Contested | |||||||
| ▸ 1st | Adaeze Lamberts | 93kg | 175kg | 100kg | 210kg | 485kg | ₦300,000 |
| ▸ 2nd | Gloria Emmanuel Ngaa | 85kg | 145kg | 60kg | 155kg | 360kg | ₦150,000 |
| Place | Lifter | Bodyweight | Squat | Bench | Deadlift | Total | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59kg Category Uncontested | |||||||
| ▸ 1st | Ajao Oluwasegun | 58.8kg | 175kg | 90kg | 225kg | 490kg | ₦150,000 |
| 74kg Category Contested | |||||||
| ▸ 1st | Tuesday Emmanuel Inakedor | 73kg | 245kg | 140kg | 270kg | 655kg | ₦300,000 |
| ▸ 2nd | Michael Ogunsola | 72.8kg | 180kg | 135kg | 240kg | 555kg | ₦150,000 |
| ▸ 3rd | Akinpelu Mubarak | 68.5kg | 190kg | 120kg | 230kg | 540kg | ₦75,000 |
| 83kg Category Uncontested | |||||||
| ▸ 1st | Richard Akande | 80.1kg | 220kg | 150kg | 220kg | 590kg | ₦150,000 |
| 93kg Category Contested | |||||||
| ▸ 1st | Fortune Godspower | 91.7kg | 260kg | 140kg | 295kg | 695kg | ₦300,000 |
| ▸ 2nd | Oluwapelumi Ogunbenjo | 92.5kg | 255kg | 160kg | 280kg | 695kg | ₦150,000 |
| 105kg Category Contested | |||||||
| ▸ 1st | Philip Chukwuka | 103.5kg | 270kg | 170kg | 301kg | 741kg | ₦300,000 |
| ▸ 2nd | Favour Enwere | 103.2kg | 260kg | 180kg | 300kg | 740kg | ₦150,000 |
| ▸ 3rd | Daniel Okolie | 104.7kg | 280kg | 170kg | 275kg | 725kg | ₦75,000 |
| 120kg Category Uncontested | |||||||
| ▸ 1st | Somto Nwuzor | 109.3kg | 255kg | 165kg | 240kg | 660kg | ₦150,000 |
2025 ran on transitional bodyweight brackets (80+, 90+, 100+ kg) rather than today's standardized weight classes. These results are reconstructed from official event media, so they are published as 2025 Competition Highlights rather than formal all-time category records.
| Place | Lifter | Squat | Bench | Deadlift | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80+ kg Bracket | |||||
| 1st | Fortune Godspower | 240kg | 160kg | 275kg | 675kg |
| 2nd | Okikiola Popoola | 240kg | 160kg | 255kg | 655kg |
| 3rd | Adewale Abdullateef | — | — | 230kg | 230kg |
| 90+ kg Bracket | |||||
| 1st | Emmanuel Goodness | 260kg | 175kg | 270kg | 705kg |
| 2nd | Marvelous Omoregie | 250kg | 150kg | 300kg | 700kg |
| 3rd | Kennedy Ugorji | 240kg | 185kg | 260kg | 685kg |
| 100+ kg Bracket | |||||
| 1st | Favour Enwere | 240kg | 180kg | 285kg | 705kg |
| 2nd (tie) | Abdul-Muizz Bakare | 260kg | 140kg | 270kg | 670kg |
| 2nd (tie) | Teddy Ezehi | 240kg | 150kg | 280kg | 670kg |
| Place | Lifter | Squat | Bench | Deadlift | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80+ kg Bracket | |||||
| 1st | Eunice Olatunji | 150kg | 72.5kg | 190kg | 412.5kg |
| 2nd | Jennifer Nsofor | 140kg | 75kg | 180kg | 395kg |
2024 — Building the Foundation. SBD began in 2021 as a small community deadlift competition at Sweatbox Lagos, expanding to the full three lifts in 2022. By 2024 a structured approach had begun — the first documented results — though athletes still competed in broader bodyweight ranges rather than today's standardized weight-class system. These results are preserved as history and are not directly compared with modern category records.
| Lifter | Division | Bodyweight | Squat | Bench | Deadlift | Total | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okocha Frank | Male | 109.4kg | 245kg | 172kg | 340kg | 757kg | Elite |
| Godspower Fortune | Male | 87.55kg | 230kg | 150kg | 270kg | 650kg | Elite |
| Ajayi Tayo | Male | 89.4kg | 180kg | 175kg | 280kg | 635kg | Elite |
| Bakare Abdul-Muizz | Male | 130kg | 235kg | 120kg | 265kg | 620kg | Intermediate |
| Okiki Popoola | Male | 85.85kg | 230kg | 145kg | 240kg | 615kg | Elite |
| Madueke Nnaemeka | Male | 95.95kg | 210kg | 150kg | 240kg | 600kg | Advanced |
| Kalu Eric | Male | 80.4kg | 200kg | 140kg | 253kg | 593kg | Elite |
| Aramide Benita | Female | 69.1kg | 148kg | 55kg | 165kg | 368kg | Elite |
| Bukola Balogun | Female | 67.45kg | 140kg | 60kg | 165kg | 365kg | Elite |
From a backyard deadlift competition at Sweatbox Lagos in 2021 to a national qualification system — every era of SBD Nigeria, and the marks that define it. From 2026 onward, records are set in standardized weight classes, and every future meet has something to chase.
A small, informal deadlift competition inside the Sweatbox Lagos community — a handful of athletes, no formal records, all heart.
The full three lifts arrive — squat, bench press and deadlift. Still community-led and informal.
The annual competition grew organically as the lifting community developed.
A structured approach begins — proper organisation, athlete records and a clearer format. The first documented results: 9 lifters.
A bigger field, transitional brackets, 700kg totals arrive. Results preserved from event media.
Formal weight classes, official bodyweights, nine attempts, documented results, prizes, IPF GL scoring and the first Pound-for-Pound Champion.
A year-round season: athletes nationwide qualify remotely, rankings run all year, the Championship crowns it in September.
All-time bests span every era, including pre-standardisation formats; 2025 marks are drawn from official event media. Weight-class records below begin with the standardized 2026 era.
These are the numbers every Road-to-2027 athlete is chasing. Beat one at an official SBD Nigeria competition and your name goes here.
| Class | Squat | Bench | Deadlift | Total | Record Holder(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | |||||
| 57kg | 153kg | 72kg | 165kg | 390kg | Victoria Offiong (2026) |
| 63kg | 170kg | 80kg | 180kg | 430kg | Abiola Olajumoke (2026) |
| 76kg | 163kg | 80kg | 180kg | 423kg | Olatunji Eunice (2026) · deadlift shared with Saidat Hassan |
| 84+kg | 175kg | 100kg | 210kg | 485kg | Adaeze Lamberts (2026) |
| Men | |||||
| 59kg | 175kg | 90kg | 225kg | 490kg | Ajao Oluwasegun (2026) |
| 74kg | 245kg | 140kg | 270kg | 655kg | Tuesday Emmanuel Inakedor (2026) |
| 83kg | 220kg | 150kg | 220kg | 590kg | Richard Akande (2026) |
| 93kg | 260kg | 160kg | 295kg | 695kg | Fortune Godspower (2026) · bench: Oluwapelumi Ogunbenjo · total tie broken by lighter bodyweight |
| 105kg | 280kg | 180kg | 301kg | 741kg | Philip Chukwuka (2026) · squat: Daniel Okolie · bench: Favour Enwere |
| 120kg | 255kg | 165kg | 240kg | 660kg | Somto Nwuzor (2026) |
The 2026 Championship took place on Saturday, September 19, 2026. Seventeen athletes competed across ten weight categories, with ₦3,150,000 awarded in prize money. Full official results — every placing, every attempt — are published above. To every athlete who stepped on the platform: thank you.
2026 prize structure, awarded per weight category. Uncontested category winners received ₦150,000.
Next up: the Road to SBD Nigeria 2027 — remote qualification from January, Championship in September. Join the interest list to be first in.
A qualification season judged remotely and a national Championship need trained officials — not just event-day volunteers. For 2027 we're building a real officiating and technical pipeline: structured training, shadowing on qualifier video reviews, and certification on the platform in September.
Learn the SBD Nigeria technical rules, judge qualifier submissions under supervision, and work toward the referee panel for September.
The crew that keeps the platform safe and the bar loaded right — trained on loading charts, rack heights and spotting protocol.
Run the scoring table: attempts, records, rankings and results — for qualifier reviews and live on meet day.
Flights, timing, weigh-ins, athlete flow — the people who make a meet run on schedule.
Platform build, equipment checks, video and streaming — the technical backbone of the Championship.
Pathway: Apply → rules & training sessions → shadow qualifier reviews → officiate at the 2027 Championship. No prior officiating experience required — commitment and consistency are.
SBD Nigeria is growing beyond a single competition into Nigeria's powerlifting ecosystem — athlete development, education and officiating, schools and youth programmes, community, partnerships, and events. Building that takes people who care.
Roles are voluntary for now, and you don't need to be an elite powerlifter — you need to show up and contribute. New members join working groups first; leadership is formalised by actual contribution, not by title.
Director, SBD Nigeria: Kanyinsola Alabi
Wear the movement. Official SBD Nigeria gear — on sale here and at every meet.
Results, athlete stories, and live coverage all along the Road to 2027 — follow SBD Nigeria everywhere it lives.
Results, upcoming competitions, and SBD Nigeria news — straight to your inbox, nothing else.
We're building Nigerian powerlifting as an ecosystem — and that takes partners. If you run a gym whose lifters belong on the 2027 leaderboard, an institution or federation involved in strength sport, a brand that should be on the platform, or media covering the sport: talk to us.
Host qualifier athletes, run filming and weigh-in days, and get your gym named on every one of your lifters' profiles. The Road to 2027 runs through gyms like yours.
Universities, forces, sports bodies — anyone organising or developing strength sport in Nigeria. Let's align calendars, standards and athletes.
Sponsorship, equipment, coverage and storytelling around a season that runs all year — not just one meet day.
Prefer email? Write to us directly at sbdnigeria@gmail.com.