Nigeria is ready to start its journey for continental glory as the senior men’s volleyball team competes at the 2026 African Men’s Volleyball Nations Championship in Tunisia. The team aims to reach the final in Tunis.
Nigeria is in Group C with Algeria and Chad. Their first match against Chad is set for Wednesday, 16 September. The championship started on Monday and is also important for qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, United States.
Head coach Ryan Masajedi has picked a 14-man squad for this tournament. The team includes two setters, two opposites, two liberos, four outside hitters, and four middle blockers.
Masajedi announced two new players in the final list. He leads a technical crew that has Taiwo Oladipupo as first assistant coach and Jonah Adamu as second assistant coach.
Bruno Ibeh and Adeniyi Favour will take on the setter role. Armstrong Udoka and Okonkwo Ebuka have been chosen as the two opposites.
For outside hitters, Ogunshina Obayemi, Emmanuel Udah, Faruk Lucky, and team captain Abdulquadri Jaiyeola will represent Nigeria. Abednego Hassan and Tiamiyu Ismail are the two liberos, while Anele Timothy, Pascal Ozokoye, Kaseem Mutiu, and Army Ferdinand are the middle blockers.
Nigeria earned its spot in this championship through the CAVB qualification process. The competition features 13 men’s teams after Zimbabwe pulled out. This championship is more than just a title fight; it also paves the way for the 2028 Olympics and the 2027 FIVB World Championship.
The Nigerian team has a lot on the line when they face Chad. After that, they will take on Algeria in Group C.
Masajedi spoke ahead of the match. He emphasized the importance of the right mindset and warned against underestimating any team.
"The first task before us is to scale through the group stage and then wait for our opponent in the next round. We will not underrate any team in our group because they are equally at the championship to make a statement,” he said.
In the 2021 African Men’s Volleyball Nations Championship held in Rwanda, Nigeria finished seventh. They won against DR Congo 3-0 (25-10, 25-20, 25-22) in the classification match but missed the 2023 edition.
With the chance to win the continental title and qualify for the Olympics, Masajedi’s team hopes to start a new chapter for Nigerian volleyball as they kick off their campaign against Chad in Tunisia.
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