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NVF Woos Private Sector, Others To Sponsor In Volleyball

Published

6 years ago

March 9, 2021

…As retains U19 Boys title, qualify for FIVB World Championship

Joel Ajayi

As a way to bring more development to the game of Volleyball in the country, the President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), Engr. Musa Nimrod has called on the private sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as well-meaning Nigerians in the country to invest in the game to increase its development in Nigeria.

Nimrod made this sincere appeal at the just concluded 2020 Under-18 Girls and Under-19 Boys AFCON Volleyball Tournament in Abuja the support of well-spirited individuals is highly needed to grow the game in the country.

According to him, I urge all stakeholders to support and help the federation to grow from grassroots, particularly helping us to sponsor youth development programs.

“The Cameroonian teams came to the competition in Nigeria perform very well, with the kitted by a company, and they came with delegates who were also all kitted. They were well composed and I will like Nigerian teams to be like that.

“I have helped to move the Federation to this height and I won’t want it to fall but to rather reach higher heights,”

Engr. Nimrod equally applauded all countries that participated in the championship for their effort urged them not to relent the oar until Africa conquer the world in Volleyball.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria U19 volleyball boys team retained their title as champions of Africa after emerged winners of the 2021 African Nations Volleyball Championship in Abuja thereby qualifies to represent the continent in Iran.

Commenting on their title victory, the head coach of Nigeria U19 Boys team, Sani Mohammed revealed that his players were able to adjust their style of play and changed the game against Morocco.

“This is the first time any of these boys will be partaking in any international tournament; they were able to adjust their style of game after their victory over Gambia and you all saw the result against Morocco

He, therefore, appealed for early preparations of his wards for forthcoming World Youth Championship in Iran.

“I am appealing to the NVF to put us in camp for a minimum of four months before the World Championship in Iran. We had successful camping before the Nations Championship and I am certain we will get the best ahead of the world tournament. I will love the players to be in camp at least four months before the World Championship.”

However, Nigeria finished as the top-ranked team and Cameroon followed as the runners up. Both countries had now earned qualification to the 2021 FIVB U19 World Championship in Iran.

UNDER-19 BOYS INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Best Server: Pascal Ozokonye (Nigeria), Best Reception: Mohammed Reda (Morocco), Best Blocker: Sheikh Colley (Gambia), Best Spiker: Ousseni Isa (Cameroon), Best Digger: Lawal Babatunde (Nigeria), Best Setter: Jeremiah Alexander (Nigeria) and MVP: Kavogo Yaoussia (Cameroon)

U18 GIRLS INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

MVP: Fasso Nguemtchueng (Cameroon), Best Blocker: Blessing Unekwe (Nigeria), Best Setter: Elezabilah Leititia (Cameroon), Best Digger: Nqbyong Laure (Cameroon), Best Reception: Omoshola Sofiat (Nigeria), Best Server: Bedian Mpson (Cameroon) and Best Spiker: Thombeso Iohejoan (Cameroon)

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Alake Inaugurates Nigeria-US Solid Minerals Committee, Dismisses $700bn Claim, Says No Assets Sold

Published

4 days ago

October 28, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector in Abuja, dismissing reports that Nigeria sold $700 billion worth of solid minerals to the US.

The inauguration followed the strategic cooperation framework established between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head PRESS and Public Relations Department Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba stated that, Alake in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with the US is a government-to-government platform to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian local operators, not a sale of assets.

Harping on the importance of the solid minerals sector to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, he noted that the administration was committed to reducing dependence on a mono-product economy through the sustainable development of Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.

According to him, the Nigeria–US partnership as a strategic initiative to attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.

“There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,” Alake declared.

“We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers.”

The Minister said reports claiming the US was coming to take over Nigeria’s minerals and security architecture were untrue at best and products of riotous imagination at worst.

Explaining the policy thrust, Alake said Africa has historically held the short end of the stick in global economic transactions, and Nigeria is determined to change that model.

“We have the resources, the critical elements the world needs to transit to clean energy. So we are creating a new paradigm — you bring your capital, expertise and technology, to match with our natural resources and create a win-win situation . The investor gains, Nigeria gains.’’he said.

Nigeria, he stressed, had operated a mono-cultural economy dependent on oil, while solid minerals were exploited informally — with ores taken “from pit to port” without value addition.

Alake said government has now made local processing mandatory, refusing to grant mineral titles to investors without a clear pathway to processing in Nigeria.

He said the policy led to the springing up of processing factories, including the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa commissioned recently in Nasarawa by the Vice President, and informed the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group.

Alake noted that investor confidence has returned due to macro-economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu that guarantee security of tenure and repatriation of profits.

He charged the committee to discharge its assignment responsibly, saying its work is strategic to achieving the President’s $1 trillion economy target.

To this end, he told the Committee to ensure effective coordination, identify investment opportunities and translate the framework into measurable outcomes capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global solid minerals industry.

In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the inauguration translates growing bilateral engagements into a structured framework for practical cooperation and investment mobilization

Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump has prioritized three areas for US embassies — energy, artificial intelligence/super intelligence, and critical minerals.

Baas said Washington’s direction is to work with partners to secure critical supply chains while ensuring partners capture value.

“We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,” he said.

In his vote of thanks, CEO/Managing Director of Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, NSMC said that the committee

is expected to coordinate implementation, facilitate investment and monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Nigeria–US cooperation framework.

The inauguration reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the solid minerals sector as a key driver of economic diversification, industrial development and national prosperity under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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