Green Hawks make history as Nigeria begins netball journey against Kenya
Nigeria will today take a historic step into international netball when the national team, the Green Hawks, makes its competitive debut at the Africa Cup in Nairobi, Kenya.
The landmark fixture at the Kasarani International Stadium Indoor Arena will see Nigeria face hosts Kenya in the opening game of the tournament, shortly after the opening ceremony. The Africa Cup also doubles as a qualifying tournament for the 2027 Netball World Cup, scheduled to be held in Australia.
Nigeria had never previously fielded a national team in an international netball competition until the Nigeria Netball Federation was established in February 2026 and the national team assembled in June.
The rapid development has culminated in the Green Hawks' first appearance on the continental stage, where they will test themselves against some of Africa's more established netball nations.
The push to establish netball as another pathway for Nigerian athletes has been driven by the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, with significant support from the Commission's Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko.
Dikko was instrumental in securing funding for the newly established federation, despite netball not being among the Commission's priority sports at the beginning of the year. The team has expressed its appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the NSC for supporting its participation.
"It was something I really wanted to do. To give our girls another option and another pathway to progress and success in sport. All the nations in Africa are embracing netball. And we have the ability, the passion and the girls who can stand up and do it. I received assurances and that was how we started," Olopade stated.
The Green Hawks are made up mainly of Nigerian players based in the diaspora, with all the players coming from England.
The team is coached by Alison Akinrinlola, a former England international netball player who also heads a netball franchise in the United Kingdom that provides a pathway to the English Netball Super League.
Akinrinlola, who is Nigerian by marriage, believes Nigeria has the talent to build a strong future in the sport.
"I see many girls every week and every now and again, a Nigerian name pops up and I'm thinking 'this is a good talent'.
To now be presented with a chance to give opportunity to these talented girls to express themselves on the international scene is such a privilege, something we are all excited about and it goes beyond just qualifying for the World Cup.
It is more for creating a solid base for the first national team of Nigeria to inspire even more girls in Nigeria to take up the sport and make the country a force to reckon with in the shortest possible time," she said.
Regardless of the outcome of the tournament, Nigeria's presence in Nairobi represents a significant milestone for a team that was only assembled in June 2026.
Within barely three months, the Green Hawks have progressed from a newly formed national side to competing against established and highly ranked netball teams on the continent.
For 21 year old captain Jade Popoola, the moment represents the beginning of a new chapter for Nigerian netball.
"We arrived in Nairobi really excited. This is real now. And we are so thankful for this opportunity. We intend to give it our best and make Nigeria proud."
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