Nigeria secures ticket to African Cup of Nations

The Nigeria men’s volleyball team has qualified for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, after recording their fourth consecutive victory at the ongoing Zone 3 qualifiers in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

The Nigerian team secured a place at the continental championship, scheduled for September 7-21, with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over neighbors Benin Republic on Friday.

Benin Republic won the opening set 25-21 in a tense match featuring controversial refereeing. However, Nigeria responded strongly to level the match by winning the second set 25-21.

Tempers flared midway through the match when the Nigeria coach received a yellow card following a heated exchange with the referees.

The Nigerians maintained the momentum by dominating the remaining sets 25-15 and 25-20, sealing an impressive comeback victory.

The result handed Benin Republic their first defeat of the tournament, extending Nigeria’s unbeaten run to four matches. Nigeria had previously defeated Niger Republic 3-1, Ivory Coast 3-0 and Togo 3-1.

With the win, Nigeria joins Ghana as the two Zone 3 teams to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), Engineer Musa Nimrod, has commended the media for their continuous support in promoting the sport.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Volleyball Federation, I sincerely thank all of you for your constant support and the excellent coverage you have given to our activities. Your commitment to promoting volleyball in Nigeria has helped cast the Federation in a positive light and we truly appreciate it,” Nimrod said.

Looking ahead, the NVBF president revealed that preparations are already underway for the country’s Under-19 men’s national team ahead of the competition in Egypt.

“As we continue our journey, preparations are underway for our U19 men’s national team ahead of the next competition in Egypt. We ask for your prayers and support as we work to overcome some remaining challenges. We are confident that everything will fall into place.” The President added.

He also expressed satisfaction with the progress of volleyball in the country.

“We are delighted with the continued 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.”

“Thank you again for your continued support. Please continue to report our successes and help us grow the game. God bless you all.”

Nigeria will conclude their Zone 3 qualifying campaign with a match against Burkina Faso on Saturday.