HFN Releases Invited Players Ahead of Africa Handball Nations Cup in Rwanda

Posted : 30 December 2025

Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Handball Team, the Golden Arrows, has officially opened camp in Abuja as preparations intensify for the Africa Men’s Handball Nations Cup, scheduled to take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from January 21 to 31, 2026.

The tournament will also serve as Africa’s qualifying event for the 2027 World Men’s Handball Championship, with the top five teams earning automatic spots at the global competition. In Group B, Nigeria will face hosts Rwanda, seven-time African champions Algeria, and Zambia in what promises to be a highly competitive group.

Since first qualifying in Tunisia in 1974, Nigeria has featured in the Africa Handball Nations Cup 15 times, with their best performance being a fourth-place finish in South Africa in 1998.

As of Friday, December 27, 2025, seventeen of the twenty-four invited players have already reported to the Indoor Sports Hall, Package B, at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja. Training sessions have focused on tactical execution, physical conditioning, and team chemistry, with the remaining players expected to arrive no later than Tuesday.

The squad features a blend of home-based talents and foreign-based professionals, strengthening the team’s competitiveness. Notable foreign-based invitees include back-right player Farouk Yusuf, who plays in France, alongside Rotimi Gbenga and Akeem Salami from Morocco, and pivot Daniel Bello, currently with a Turkish club.

The goalkeeping department boasts international experience, with Olatunde Adams (Qatar), Michael Ogbaji and Mohammed Abbas (Cotonou, Benin Republic), and Okwor Obinna (COAS Shooters, Nigeria Army) competing for positions.

Other key players include John Shagari, Nasiru Hassan, Safety Shooters, and Mohammed Adam from Corrections Boys, while the centre-back positions are reinforced by Ibrahim Dikko (Cotonou) and Farouk Kazeem (Tojemarine).

Pivot and wing positions also feature a strong mix of talent, including Sessugh Stephen, James Korede Kuti, Ibrahim Adio, Anas Mohammed, Kareem Ajibike, Mustapha Mohammed, and Abubakar Ahmed, combining speed, power, and finishing ability.

The Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) has emphasized discipline, with President Jibril Saidu Ojih (FNSQ) issuing a directive that all remaining invited players must report to camp by Tuesday or risk exclusion from the final squad.

The Golden Arrows are under the technical leadership of Head Coach Rafiu Salami, assisted by Innocent Nwankwo Chukwuma (Safety Shooters) and Emmanuel David. The coaching team is prioritizing tactical discipline, match fitness, and mental preparedness ahead of the Nations Cup.

List of Invited Players for Africa Handball Nations Cup:

Goalkeepers

Olatunde Adams – Qatar
Michael Ogbaji – Cotonou
Okwor Obinna – COAS
Mohammed Abbas – Cotonou

Back Left
5. John Shagari – Cotonou
6. Nasiru Hassan – FRSC
7. Mohammed Adam – Corrections

Back Right
8. Yusuf Farouk – France
9. Rotimi Gbenga – Morocco

Centre Back
10. Akeem Salami – Morocco
11. Ibrahim Dikko – Cotonou
12. Farouk Kazeem – Tojemarine

Pivot
13. Sessugh Stephen – Cotonou
14. Daniel Bello – Turkey
15. James Kuti Korede – Tojemarine
16. Ibrahim Adio – Cotonou

Left Wing
17. Anas Mohammed – Cotonou
18. Kareem Ajibike – Cotonou
19. Mustapha Mohammed – Sokoto
20. Abubakar Ahmed – Sokoto

Right Wing
21. Azeez Suleiman – France
22. Cole Gbenga – Morocco
23. Mustapha Mohammed – Sokoto
24. Atabo Abdullahi – Cotonou

HFN Releases Invited Players Ahead of Africa Handball Nations Cup in Rwanda

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