Dambe Goes Global: Investors Bet Big on Nigeria’s Traditional Fight League

Nigeria’s ancient combat sport Dambe is set to burst onto the global scene with support from African investment firm Silverbacks Holdings and Hollywood producer Sanford Climan. Last year, Silverbacks bought a stake in the African Warriors Fighting Championship (AWFC), which boasts 300 fighters and over 900 million online views, reflecting growing global interest in African sports. AWFC recently partnered with the UK-based streaming platform DAZN to expand Dambe’s reach. Climan’s involvement brings experience and expertise, while Silverbacks, an early investor in Nigerian fintech giant Flutterwave, sees combat sports as the next scalable frontier. With international investors eyeing Africa’s youth-driven sports culture, Dambe could become the continent’s next big export—if infrastructure, monetization, and professionalism keep pace.

SEMAFOR