Nigeria finish African Volleyball Championship ninth after Mali rout

Posted : 03 September 2026

Nigeria’s senior women’s volleyball team signed off their campaign at the 2026 African Senior Women’s Volleyball Nations Championship in Kenya on a positive note, sweeping Mali 3-0 in their final classification match at the Kasarani Stadium on Wednesday.

The CAVB Zone 3 champions dominated the encounter 25-23, 25-19, 25-14 to secure ninth position and provide a strong finish to a campaign that tested the young Nigerian squad against some of Africa’s leading volleyball nations.

Nigeria had endured a difficult group phase, finishing fourth after a victory over Ghana and defeats to Cameroon and Tunisia. Their hopes of reaching the latter stages were subsequently ended by hosts and defending champions Kenya in the Round of 16.

Rather than allow the setback to derail their campaign, the Nigerians responded impressively in the classification matches.

They defeated Senegal before producing another convincing performance against the Democratic Republic of Congo, setting the stage for Wednesday’s emphatic victory over Mali.

The three successive wins provided a measure of redemption for Nigeria and, more importantly, gave the younger members of the squad valuable experience against international opposition.

Nigeria Volleyball Federation President, Engineer Musa Nimrod, was particularly encouraged by the performance of the emerging players, insisting that the team possesses the ingredients required to compete for continental honours in the years ahead.

“I’m pleased with the young girls because, as I have always said, they have great potential,” Nimrod said.

According to him, many of the players have passed through his development programme, making their progress during the championship especially satisfying.

He expressed confidence that with sustained investment and proper preparation, Nigeria can challenge the established powers of African volleyball.

Nimrod also acknowledged the support received from Nigeria’s diplomatic mission in Kenya, particularly the Ambassador and embassy officials, for their encouragement and assistance throughout the tournament.

He extended his appreciation to the Kenyan people and fans for the warm reception and massive support given to the Nigerian delegation during the championship.

With the indoor volleyball campaign now concluded, attention is turning towards Nigeria’s beach volleyball programme following the country’s historic qualification for the Olympic Games.

Nimrod challenged the young beach volleyball players to prepare for what he described as the “big work ahead”, warning that qualification alone should not be considered the ultimate achievement.

“There is a lot of work ahead, but we thank God,” he said, stressing the need for serious preparation if Nigeria is to make a meaningful impact on the Olympic stage.

For Nigeria’s indoor team, the ninth-place finish may not represent the ultimate continental ambition, but the strong closing run and the emergence of promising young players have provided reasons for optimism about the future.

Nigeria finish African Volleyball Championship ninth after Mali rout

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