Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, accompanied by his wife Meghan, has landed in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, over Nigeria’s bid to host the prestigious Invictus Games.
The Invictus Games, founded by Prince Harry, is aimed at supporting the rehabilitation of wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women worldwide, both active duty and veterans.
The international multi-sport event originated from Prince Harry’s own experiences as an Apache helicopter co-pilot gunner during his service in Afghanistan.
It provides a platform for service members to compete in sports events akin to the Paralympics.
Last year marked Nigeria’s debut at the Games, emerging as the sole African representative and clinching gold and bronze medals.
Prince Harry and Megahn Markle’s visit to Nigeria followed their invitation from the defence headquarters (DHQ).
During their stay, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend basketball and volleyball matches, and engage with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Abuja and Lagos.
Also, Meghan is set to co-host a ‘Women in Leadership’ event alongside Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Nigeria’s military has expressed optimism that hosting the Invictus Games could aid in the recovery of numerous personnel engaged in combating the Boko Haram insurgency since 2009.
Mohammed Baduru, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, attended last year’s event in Germany.