Nigeria seal African Volleyball Nations Cup spot
Nigeria's men's volleyball team has booked its place at the 2026 African Volleyball Nations Cup after producing a spirited 3-1 comeback victory over the Benin Republic at the ongoing Zone 3 qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
The hard-fought contest saw Benin edge the opening set 25-21 in a match that featured some controversial officiating. However, the Nigerians responded with determination, claiming the second set by the same 25-21 scoreline before taking complete control of the contest with convincing 25-15 and 25-20 wins to seal qualification.
The victory handed Benin Republic their first defeat of the tournament, while Nigeria maintained a perfect record, extending their unbeaten run to four matches after earlier victories over Niger Republic (3-1), hosts Côte d'Ivoire (3-0), and Togo (3-1).
Reacting to the achievement, President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), Musa Nimrod, hailed the team's qualification as another milestone in the steady growth of volleyball in the country.
"We are delighted with the steady growth of volleyball in Nigeria. Our recent qualification for the competition in Congo and the qualification of our women's team for Kenya are clear signs that the sport is moving in the right direction," Nimrod said.
He also revealed that attention is already shifting to the country's Under-19 Boys National Team, which is preparing for its upcoming international competition in Egypt.
"As we continue our journey, preparations are underway for our U-19 Boys National Team ahead of their upcoming competition in Egypt. We ask for your prayers and support as we work to overcome a few remaining challenges. We are confident everything will fall into place," he added.
Nimrod also expressed gratitude to the media for its continued support, noting that the positive coverage has played a key role in promoting volleyball across the country.
"On behalf of the Board of Administration of the Nigerian Volleyball Federation, I sincerely thank you all for your unwavering support and the excellent coverage you have given our activities. Your commitment to promoting volleyball in Nigeria has helped project the federation in a positive light, and we truly appreciate it."
Nigeria will conclude their Zone 3 qualifying campaign against Burkina Faso on Saturday before turning their attention to the 2026 African Volleyball Nations Cup, scheduled to take place in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, from September 7 to 21.
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