The president of Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), Engineer Musa Nimrod has stated that the country’s national team must put up a solid performance at this year’s African championship in order to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA.
Sports247 reports that Nimrod affirmed as much while reflecting on the double continental spots picked by the Nigerian male and female teams from their recent outings in Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) Zone 3 qualification competitions.
While noting that the nation’s women’s team will line out next month for a continental contest in Kenya, Nimrod called for full support of the men’s squad, as they prepare for the 2026 African Volleyball Nations Cup in Democratic Republic of Congo.
While stressing that the competition’s winner will pick Africa’s lone ticket to the next Olympic Games, Nimrod expressed confidence in the Nigerian team’s ability to compete at the highest level and promised that the NVBF will provide adequate support and necessary backing for their forthcoming mission.
He then attributed the team’s success to lessons learnt from mistakes at the 2003 All Africa Games, which highlighted the need for smooth transition from youth to senior level and brought about the NVBF’s long-term focus, as the squad has players who grew through age-grade programmes.
Nimrod added, “We have to put all our resources together to achieve our objective. Our preparations will intensify in August, when the team moves into training camp. The camp will help the players reach peak fitness and ensure they are fully prepared for the challenge ahead.
“We know what is at stake, because the tournament also serves as a qualification event for the Los Angeles Olympic Games. With only one ticket available, we must do everything possible to give our team the best chance of securing it.
“One of the mistakes we made after the COJA 2003 All Africa Games was failing to replace the ageing generation of players. There was no proper transition.
“That has changed. The boys who were under-19 players have stepped into the senior national team. They are energetic, talented and performing well.
“We remain optimistic and are committed to providing all support needed for the team to succeed. We are confident they will continue to shine at the upcoming championship in DR Congo.
“When you build the youth, you build a nation. That is the foundation of lasting success. Our current senior players are products of a successful youth development system.
“These players won back-to-back African under-19 titles before progressing through to the under-21 level. They have grown together over the last six or seven years, and that continuity is now paying off.”
