LAGOS MAKES HISTORY AS AFRICA HOSTS FIRST-EVER ALL-ELECTRIC POWERBOAT RACE
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
Nigeria’s commercial hub, Lagos, made history on Sunday as it hosted the first-ever UIM E1 World Championship race on African soil marking a major milestone for the all-electric powerboat racing series.
The E1 Lagos Grand Prix, held on the city’s scenic lagoon, served as the penultimate round of the 2025 season ahead of the finale in Miami later this year. The event was briefly delayed by a tropical storm, leaving nine international teams owned by some of the world’s biggest sporting and entertainment figures waiting for the skies to clear.
Under grey skies and light rain, fans gathered along the waterfront in white tents, vibing to Afrobeats music and enjoying local delicacies such as jollof rice as they watched the sleek electric boats glide across the lagoon. Many others watched from hotel balconies and nearby buildings, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Rodi Basso, founder and CEO of the E1 Championship, expressed pride in the race’s African debut.
“Africa needed to be there the motherland needed to be there so we are incredibly proud to be here,” Basso told AFP. “We’ve grown from five races in two continents in season one to seven races in four continents in season two.”
Global sporting icons including Didier Drogba, Tom Brady, LeBron James, and Rafael Nadal own teams in the E1 series. Drogba, who played a key role in bringing the race to Africa alongside his partner Gabrielle Lemaire, was present at the event and joined the podium celebrations.
Team Brazil, owned by tech entrepreneur Marcelo Claure, clinched victory, followed by Indian cricket star Virat Kohli’s Team Blue Rising in second place and Drogba’s Team Africa in third.
Spectators described the event as a sign of growing confidence in Nigeria’s ability to host world-class sporting events.
“It’s almost as if you’re abroad,” said 61-year-old advertising executive Bumi Oke, who attended with her husband. “Hosting this race shows Nigerians that we can pull off international events, come rain or shine.”
The E1 Championship’s Lagos race marked the fourth continent in which the series has competed this season, after stops in Jeddah, Doha, Monaco, and Miami highlighting the sport’s rapid global expansion and its growing appeal among fans of innovation, sustainability, and speed.
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