Nigeria’s senior men’s volleyball team will begin their 2026 African Nations Volleyball Championship campaign on Wednesday when they face Chad in their opening fixture of the continental tournament in Tunisia.

The Nigerian side enters the competition after securing qualification through the West African qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where they maintained an unbeaten record and defeated Benin Republic 3-1 to seal their place at the championship.  

Nigeria will be looking to make a positive start against Chad as the team begins its quest to make an impact against some of the continent’s leading volleyball nations.

The 2026 CAVB Men’s African Nations Volleyball Championship is scheduled to run from September 15 to 25, with Tunisia serving as host. Nigeria is among the teams competing for continental honours and valuable international experience.  

The championship represents another opportunity for Nigeria to build on the progress made during the qualification campaign, where the team demonstrated consistency and resilience to finish unbeaten.

The Nigerian team will also be seeking to improve on its previous continental performances as it battles for a strong finish in a competition traditionally dominated by established African volleyball powers such as Tunisia and Egypt.  

Nigeria’s qualification came after four consecutive victories during the qualifying tournament in Abidjan, including the decisive win over Benin Republic.

The result underlined the team’s competitive form heading into the continental finals and secured Nigeria’s return to the African championship stage.  

The tournament is expected to provide a demanding test for the Nigerian players, with the championship bringing together several of Africa’s leading men’s volleyball nations.

Beyond the immediate objective of progressing in the competition, Nigeria’s participation provides an opportunity to gain valuable experience and strengthen the national team’s development ahead of future international assignments.

The 2026 championship is being staged as part of the continent’s broader volleyball calendar, with the competition bringing together national teams competing for the African crown.

For Nigeria, attention now turns to the opening encounter against Chad, with the team hoping to translate its strong qualifying form into a positive start at the continental finals.