NVBF Begins Preparations for 2026 African Men’s Volleyball Championship

Posted : 22 August 2026

The Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) has stepped up preparations for the 2026 African Men’s Volleyball Nations Championship with the invitation of 22 players to the national team’s training camp.

The continental championship, initially billed for the Democratic Republic of Congo, will now take place in Tunis, Tunisia, from September 13 to 27, giving the Nigerian team a fresh target as preparations begin in earnest.

The invited squad comprises four setters, five middle blockers, six outside hitters, four opposites and three liberos, providing head coach Ryan Masajedi with a balanced pool of players from which to build the team.

Four foreign-based players, Arinze Nwachukwu, Vincent Mathias, Pascal Okoye and Izuchukwu Oforah, headline the invitation, while the remaining 18 players were selected from clubs competing in the Nigeria Volleyball Premier League.

Masajedi, a Japanese coach, will lead the technical crew, assisted by Taiwo Oladipupo, Tswevini Yohanna and Jonah Adamu.

Technical Chairman of the NVBF Board, Prince Tunde Omisore, expressed optimism that the Japanese tactician’s experience would prove valuable as Nigeria prepares for the African showpiece.

According to Omisore, the camping programme is scheduled to begin on Saturday, August 22, immediately after the departure of the women’s national team for the 2026 African Championship in Kenya.

The invited players are:

Setters: Bruno Ibeh, Favour Adeniyi, Elisha Anebi and Emmanuel Oko.

Middle Blockers: Timothy Anele, Pascal Okoye, Jubril Mora, Kazeem Mutiu and Ferdinand Army.

Outside Hitters: Abdulquadri Jaiyeola, Obayemi Ogunshina, Izuchukwu Oforah, Emmanuel Udah, Chukwuemeka Anachuna and Lucky Faruk.

Opposites: Vincent Mathias, Armstrong Eozofor, Arinze Nwachukwu and Ebuka Okonkwo.

Liberos: Abednego Hassan, Ismail Tiamiyu and Precious Peter.

The camp is expected to provide the coaching crew with an opportunity to assess the players, fine-tune combinations and build a competitive squad capable of challenging Africa’s best in Tunisia.

With the championship less than a month away, the NVBF will be hoping the early start to preparations will give the national team the foundation needed for a strong continental campaign.

NVBF Begins Preparations for 2026 African Men’s Volleyball Championship

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