Two-time African champion Amina Belkadi is the top seed in the women's under-63 kilograms category for the host nation and has a good chance of winning a gold medal in Oran.

Sonia Asselah, who is also a two-time continental champion in the women's over-78kg, will be another medal contender for Algeria, but likely must defeat Africa's best-ranked judoka - world number seven Nihel Cheikh Rouhou from Tunisia.

Rouhou is an 11-time gold medallist at the African Championships and four-time African Games champion.

Abderrahmane Benamadi, the 2005 world silver medallist, is a five-time African champion and could be his country's best chance of a medal on the men's side, in the under-90kg.

Morocco's Soumiya Iraoui will be looking to defend her women's under-52kg title successfully and claim a fifth consecutive medal at the event, with her closest challengers being Ivorian Salimata Fofana and Djamila Silva of Cape Verde.

After only claiming bronze in 2021, Senegal's Mbagnick Ndiaye will be looking to live up to expectations as the favourite in the over-100kg and win his fourth gold medal at this level.

His hopes will be increased after 2021 gold medallist Faicel Jaballah of Tunisia did not enter the competition. 

Assmaa Niang of Morocco is the top seed at the women's under-70kg category and is seeking her sixth African title, while The Gambia's Faye Njie heads into the men's under-73kg tournament as the highest-ranked judoka.

Njie is a three-time medallist at the African Championships, but has not yet won gold.

The African Judo Championships are scheduled to take place from tomorrow until Sunday (May 29).