Sports
Continental Beach Volleyball Action Heats Up at Jabi Lake with 15 Countries in Attendance
By Joel Ajayi
Jabi Lake in Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, is buzzing with excitement as it plays host to the 2025 U18 African Beach Volleyball Championship, under the auspices of the Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB).
The scenic lakeside venue has been transformed with purpose-built, world-class artificial courts, setting a vibrant and professional stage for the tournament. Nigeria is proudly welcoming athletes from 15 African nations, including Morocco, Senegal, Ghana, and others, for this prestigious youth competition.
Speaking ahead of Friday’s kickoff in Abuja, President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation Engr Musa Nimrod, expressed confidence in Nigeria’s ability to deliver a top-tier event and reaffirmed the country’s ambition to dominate the sport at the youth level.
“Nigeria is ready to showcase excellence—both in hosting and performance. We aim to maintain our dominance in youth beach volleyball across the continent,” Nimrod said.
He emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to supporting the vision of CAVB President Madam Bouchra Hajij, noting that the country’s hosting of the event reflects its dedication to advancing beach volleyball in Africa.
“So far, so good. I feel very honoured that Nigeria was given the hosting rights. It’s a great challenge, but we are fully prepared.”
“We currently have 15 countries participating. The artificial courts are ready, the sand is high quality, and the facilities look fantastic. Our preparations have been commendable.
“Security and medical arrangements are firmly in place, according to Nimrod, with the National Sports Commission’s medical team on standby and all health protocols including COVID-19 safety measures being observed.
He also acknowledged the support of stakeholders and partners such as the Nigeria Customs Service and the Control Committee, comprising volleyball federation presidents from across Africa.
“Let’s be clear this is beach volleyball, not indoor volleyball. Southern African countries like South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Botswana are very strong in this category. They gave us tough battles during the last championship in Morocco.
“West African countries like Benin Republic, Togo, Senegal, and Ghana also have solid teams. In indoor volleyball, it’s North Africa especially Egypt that dominates. Egypt has blocked our path to the Olympics in the past.”
However, Nimrod believes the tides are turning. He praised Nigeria’s young athletes especially the duo of Esther and Pamela for their recent victories over top teams like Egypt.
“Our girls defeated Egypt, and even though Morocco celebrated after beating us in the semi-finals last time, we’re now fielding even younger players who are performing remarkably well,” he added.
Nimrod noted that Nigeria’s calendar is packed with international engagements. After this championship, Nigerian teams will travel to Burundi for the Beach Volleyball World Tour (Class I), followed by tournaments in Rwanda and The Gambia.
He also highlighted the importance of the sport in the build-up to the Youth Olympic Games in Senegal, where beach volleyball is the only volleyball category represented.
“Our players will be fully engaged until September 9th. And let’s not forget—Nigeria recently qualified for the Beach Volleyball World Championship in Australia. Even the Australian Embassy in Nigeria reached out in surprise and support,” he revealed.
“They’ve met with us, and the Australian Ambassador has scheduled a meeting with our players. Two of our girls will be heading to Australia, and we’re proud of that.”
He concluded by appreciating the support of all contributors to Nigeria’s volleyball success, including the federation’s Grand Patron.
“We’re making waves, and I deeply appreciate the incredible work being done by my mother, our Grand Patron. Her support has been immense.”
With high expectations and rising momentum, the 2025 U18 African Beach Volleyball Championship promises not just fierce competition, but a showcase of emerging talent and Africa’s growing prominence in global beach volleyball.
Sports
FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification
Legal Practitioner And Administrator Barr Bucknor Threatens To Petition FCT Minister Over Abandoned Stadiums
Despite Nigeria’s precarious position in the race for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Barrister Babatunde Burknor, a board member of the FCT Football Association (FA), remains hopeful that the Super Eagles can still secure qualification.
Nigeria currently sits third in their qualification group with 11 points from 8 matches, trailing Benin Republic and South Africa, who both lead with 14 points. Yet Burknor, a seasoned football administrator and grassroots sports advocate, believes all is not lost.
In a recent interview made available to BSN Sports, Burknor said: “Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup may appear almost impossible, but that doesn’t mean it is out of reach. The situation is tough, yes, but looking at the quality of players in our squad, I still believe we can make it.”
He added that unexpected results from other group rivals could work in Nigeria’s favour.
“Football is unpredictable. There is still a chance that South Africa, Benin Republic, or Rwanda could drop points. If we win our remaining two games, we still stand a chance. Sometimes football reflects life where the strong may fall while the seemingly weak stand tall.”
Calls for Grassroots Reform in the FCT
Beyond national team concerns, Burknor also used the opportunity to address the state of sports development in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urging the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to take concrete action to revamp local infrastructure.
“We have deep-rooted problems when it comes to grassroots sports. The major issue is a lack of funding and commitment from those charged with driving development at that level,” he said.
Burknor lamented the disappearance of once-thriving youth competitions like the Chairman’s Cup, Principal’s Cup, and Shell Cup, stating that such events played a crucial role in identifying and nurturing young talent.
“It’s disheartening that these programs are no longer active. Development is impossible without facilities, yet we lack even basic training grounds.”
The legal luminary revealed that he personally upgraded the sports facility at a government secondary school in his area to serve as a makeshift training centre, due to the absence of a functioning local stadium.
He is currently drafting a petition to Minister Wike, over abandoned stadiums in FCT, urging a comprehensive audit of officials responsible for sports development across the six Area Councils of the FCT.
Progress in Gwagwalada Football Development
As Vice Chairman of the Gwagwalada Football Council, Burknor highlighted the success of the Gwagwalada Football League, which has become a model for other Area Councils.
“In just two years, we’ve turned the Gwagwalada Football League into a success story. Several players from the league have already secured contracts in Europe. This shows what can be achieved with vision and consistency.”
Barrister Burknor, emphasized that grassroots football holds the key to Nigeria’s long-term football success and must be taken seriously.
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