The Nigeria Volleyball Federation has invited 44 players to a national camping programme ahead of the African Junior Volleyball Championships in Egypt, with 22 players selected for the U-19 Girls team and another 22 forming the U-18 Boys squad.
The athletes were picked from clubs competing in the Nigeria Premier Volleyball League, National Division One League, and National Division Two League. The national camping programme commenced on Friday, 10th of July, at the High Performance Centre, where both teams will begin intensive preparations for the championship.
The federation said the invited players earned their call-ups following impressive performances during the recently concluded first phase of the 2026 National Volleyball League, expressing confidence that they are in excellent competitive condition ahead of the continental event.
The dual camp reflects the NVBF’s increasingly ambitious continental strategy under President Musa Nimrod, who has spoken publicly about the financial pressures of maintaining a multi-team programme. “It is not easy financially. If we had more resources, we would also send the women’s senior team to Abidjan. Airfares are very expensive now, but we remain optimistic because Nigeria has always performed well in age-grade competitions,” Nimrod said.
The African Junior Volleyball Championships will serve as the qualification tournament for the FIVB age-grade World Championships, with Nigeria hoping to secure places in both the boys’ and girls’ competitions. A strong showing in Egypt would represent a significant step forward for both programmes, and for the federation’s wider ambition to restore Nigeria’s standing among Africa’s leading volleyball nations.
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