The Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) has declared its readiness to dominate the 2026 African Beach Volleyball Nations Cup, expressing confidence that the country’s men’s and women’s teams are fully equipped to deliver impressive performances on home soil.
The continental championship is scheduled to take place in Badagry, Lagos, from July 3 to July 7, with Nigeria aiming to build on its recent successes in African beach volleyball.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, the Second Vice-President of the federation, Adamu Tanimu, said preparations for the tournament had reached an advanced stage, adding that the national teams were in excellent shape ahead of the competition.
According to him, the ongoing Nigeria Volleyball Premier League has significantly enhanced the quality of the national squads by providing a wider pool of talented players for selection.
He noted that the growing standard of the domestic league, driven by the participation of professional players from different parts of the world, had raised competition and strengthened Nigeria’s chances at international events.
“We have not had it this way before. The quality of the league has tremendously improved, and we now have professional players participating, which has helped in team selection for international competitions,” he said.
Tanimu further revealed that the federation had already assembled formidable teams for upcoming international assignments, including the Zone III qualifiers in Côte d’Ivoire.
“We are well prepared. Camping begins on Monday in Abuja, and the selected beach volleyball athletes are in excellent condition,” he said.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chairperson of the Nigeria Beach Volleyball Commission, Bolcit Amakri, said the athletes had remained in intensive training under the supervision of national coaches to ensure peak performance at the championship.
She maintained that the federation was optimistic about Nigeria’s chances of making a strong statement at the tournament.
“The players have been in camp since last week to ensure they are in top form.
“We are confident Nigeria will perform well at the African Beach Volleyball Nations Cup,” she said.
Amakri disclosed that the women’s team had already secured its place at the championship following its gold-medal triumph at the African Beach Volleyball Championship held in Angola last December.
She added that attention had now shifted to the men’s team, which will compete in the Zone III qualifying tournament.
“The women have already qualified after their gold-medal performance in Angola.
“The men will compete in the qualifiers, and we are confident they will also qualify,” she said.
She also revealed that the federation’s digital platforms had generated more than two million engagements, while appealing for increased support to accelerate the growth and development of beach volleyball across the country.
Meanwhile, players have appealed for better welfare packages to sustain their performance.
Speaking on behalf of the athletes, Dauda Saje urged stakeholders to prioritise healthcare and financial assistance for beach volleyball players.
“We appreciate the support, but there is still a need to improve players’ welfare, especially healthcare and financial assistance,” he said.
Nigeria heads into the tournament on the back of an outstanding outing at the 2025 African Beach Volleyball Nations Cup, where the country swept both the gold and silver medals in the women’s event.
Nigeria I, made up of Pamela Miyoum Bawa and Joy Lawrence, defeated Nigeria II’s Faustina Ifechukwu and Blessing Anebi 21-17, 21-17 in the final to secure the continental title, while the men’s team finished the championship with a bronze medal.
