Sports

NVBF President sends gratitude after the successful hosting of CAVB age group competitions in Abuja

Published

6 years ago

March 25, 2021

Abuja, Nigeria, March 24, 2021 – The President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation Musa Nimrod wishes to express his profound gratitude to the entire Volleyball community in Africa and Nigeria in particular.

The support and commitment we witness from different individuals, Institutions and groups were overwhelming. Hosting both the male U19 and female U18 was a daunting task, but it was made possible all by the grace of the almighty, and the dedication of the members of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation board members, who put in efforts and other commitments that made it a reality.

In addition to the board members Individuals and collective effort, we witness outpour of support from friends of Volleyball both at home and diaspora, who shower the Nigerian teams with gifts and motivations in cash and kind, my sincere appreciation goes to you all. The home fans did not disappoint us, as the event witness one of the highest turn up of spectators despite the covid 19 restrictions and protocol put in place.

I also wish to express due gratitude to the CAVB under the tutelage of Madam Bouchra Hajij and the FIVB for their support and technical input that makes the hosting of the Junior nation cup a possibility.

The Nigerian and other officials from across the continent, and representatives of various federations did great all through the championship, we are really grateful for the roles they all played.

The challenges of hosting African Nations at a time like this was enormous. I will not fail to mention the support of the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports as well as the Federal Capital Administration for approval and other assistance they offered.

This is a new dawn in the modern history of Nigeria Volleyball. We call on Volleyball and sports enthusiasts to key in to the trend, and join hands with the federation as we prepare for the Junior World cup championships in August and September.

Ideas and contributions on subsequent preparation and sponsorship is highly welcome. We look forward for more partnership and support. Together we can rewrite the story of Volleyball in Nigeria and Africa.

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Sports

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

Published

20 hours 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.

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