Sports

2nd CAF Coaching Course Will Uplift Nigerian Football – NFF

Published

1 year ago

July 17, 2025

By Joel Ajayi

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, has affirmed that the ongoing CAF Educators’ Course will significantly transform football development in Nigeria by equipping coaches to become high-level educators and trainers.

Speaking through NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, at the launch of the second edition of the CAF Coach Educators’ Course on Thursday at the NFF/FIFA Technical Centre, MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, Gusau said Nigeria’s participation in the programme marks another major step toward sustainable football growth.

“Nigeria is now the sixth country in Africa to host this important course. At the end of the 10-day programme, participants will be assessed and certified to oversee coaching education and training nationwide,” he stated.

Gusau urged the 15 selected coaches to fully commit to the course, avoid distractions, and embrace the opportunity to improve their skills and mindset. “We expect to see transformation — in your attitude, behaviour, and approach to your responsibilities — which will show that you have gained real knowledge from this programme,” he added.

In his remarks, NFF Technical Director and course coordinator, Augustine Eguavoen, highlighted the importance of developing a distinct Nigerian football identity. He said the course is not only about technical knowledge but also about instilling coaching philosophies, behavioural standards, and strategic thinking in line with Nigeria’s football culture.

“Nigeria has a unique football style, and this course aims to ensure our educators preserve and enhance that identity. We must take ownership of our development. That’s why all 15 participants are Nigerians, with no foreign facilitators,” Eguavoen explained.

He emphasized that coaching styles must remain adaptable to opponents, but national teams must align with an established philosophy. “It’s okay to evolve, but we must not deviate completely from what defines us,” he said, adding that the newly appointed national team coach will also work in harmony with this approach.

On the selection of participants, Eguavoen said CAF set strict criteria: each participant must possess at least a CAF B license, have active coaching experience within the last five years, and be between 40 and 55 years old.

Among the 15 participants are:Christopher Danjuma – Former Super Falcons Head CoachOladuni Oyekale – Ex-Nigeria international and former 5-a-side national team coachMansur Abdullahi – Former Super Falcons Assistant Coach.

Other include; Bunmi Haruna – Former Golden Eaglets Assistant Coach and sports journalist, Usman Haruna Ilerika – FCT FA Secretary, Adanna Nwaneri, Hakeem Busari Ishola, Felix Evodi (Italy-based), and others

Also present were NFF’s Head of Coach Education, Dr. Terry Eguaoje; CAF Instructor Michael Amenga; and other technical officials. Eguavoen concluded by stressing that participants’ performance will be rigorously evaluated, with successful candidates expected to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s grassroots and elite coaching structures.

Share on Facebook

Sports

Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney

Published

1 hour ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.

Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.

In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.

The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.

In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.

At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.

According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.

“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.

Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.

He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.

The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.

He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.

“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.

Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.

The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.

According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.

The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.

It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.

The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.

He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.

“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.

Share on Facebook