Sports

Onikeku celebrates Customs’ dominant league win, targets African supremacy

Published

4 days ago

December 11, 2025

Joel Ajayi

Head of Sports, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Samuel Onikeku, has applauded the outstanding performance of the Nigeria Customs Service Women’s Volleyball Team after securing the 2025 CGC Volleyball Premier League title with three matches to spare.

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, Onikeku reflected on the team’s impressive journey this season, noting that deliberate restructuring and the infusion of younger talents played a pivotal role in their success.

“We opened camp to try to change our team. We brought in younger players, and this is the first time that with three matches to go, we’ve already won the league.

“Last season, the women’s team won the CGC Volleyball League on the last day.

“I’m very proud of the team, the coordinators, the coaches, the team managers, and the players. It’s been a long way coming—going through the first phase unbeaten in 10 matches, and now achieving this milestone. It means a lot, especially coming from our victory in Ghana.

Onikeku stressed that despite the early triumph, the team is focused on bigger ambitions as they continue to build a squad capable of excelling beyond the domestic and regional levels.

“As we have always said, we want to do well, and we are still in the process of fortifying our team. We don’t want to be just national champions or regional champions. We believe Nigeria should be able to stand and face the North Africans,” he stated.

He added that the team’s long-term development strategy will begin to show clearer results next year when preparations intensify for major continental competitions.

With the league crown already secured, the Nigeria Customs team is now setting its sights on consolidating its dominance and mounting a strong challenge on the African stage.

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Sports

NOC President Gumel Hails NSC Leadership as Nigerian Athletes Shine at African Youth Games

Published

8 hours ago

December 15, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engr. Habu Gumel, has lauded the leadership of the National Sports Commission (NSC) for its sustained investment in youth development, noting that the strategy is already delivering positive results.

Engr. Gumel made the remarks at El dorado Beach Park in Luanda, Angola, after Nigeria’s Beach Volleyball team defeated Egypt 2–0 to clinch the gold medal at the ongoing 2025 Africa Youth Games.

He described the Africa Youth Games—an initiative of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA)—as a vital grassroots development platform designed to “catch them young” and prepare athletes for future national and international assignments.

“The Youth Games are very important because they serve as a foundation for grassroots sports development. Through this programme, young talents are identified early and groomed for the national level,” Gumel said.

Expressing delight over Nigeria’s strong participation and success, the NOC President noted that the Beach Volleyball gold medal was a clear indication of the country’s growing strength in youth sports.

“We are happy that Nigeria is participating actively, and our team has just won gold in Beach Volleyball. I watched these athletes earlier at the Islamic Games in Saudi Arabia, and seeing their progress now makes us very proud,” he added.

Engr. Gumel further attributed the bright future of Nigerian sports to the effective leadership of the National Sports Commission, praising both the Chairman and the Director-General for their vision and commitment.

“The future of sports in Nigeria is very bright. This progress would not have been possible without the leadership of the National Sports Commission.
The Chairman and the Director-General are doing an excellent job, and their efforts are clearly reflected in these achievements,” he concluded.

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