Nigeria’s men’s volleyball head coach Taiwo Oladipupo believes his side can secure a podium finish at the 2026 African Nations Cup in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, as long as the team gets proper preparation in the build-up.
At a glance
- Taiwo Oladipupo says Nigeria can finish on the podium at the 2026 African Nations Cup in Kinshasa, DRC, with adequate preparation.
- Nigeria booked a place at the continental championship via the CAVB Zone 3 qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
- Oladipupo urged continued cooperation from CAVB Zone 3, including friendly matches and a training tour ahead of September’s event.
- NVBF president Musa Nimrod confirmed a men’s camp will begin next month before the AFCON finals.
- Nigeria and Ghana will represent Zone 3 at the men’s finals in DR Congo in September.
- Nigeria, Ghana and Burkina Faso will represent Zone 3 at the women’s finals in Kenya in August.
- A podium finish in Kinshasa could put Nigeria in the running for a spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
- CAVB Zone 3 president Ali Yaro praised Côte d’Ivoire for hosting the Zone 3 qualifiers successfully for the first time.
Oladipupo’s optimism follows Nigeria’s qualification for the continental showdown after the team’s performances at the CAVB Zone 3 qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. He said the results strengthened his belief that the squad can measure itself against the continent’s leading sides.
“With good preparation, I believe we are set to finish on the podium, and that is why I am optimistic that we will make Nigeria proud,” Oladipupo said.
Competitive qualifiers and preparations
The coach described the Zone 3 qualifiers as intense and demanding. In his view, every team that arrived in Abidjan was focused on winning, not simply participating, and in the end only the most capable group earned the qualification places.
Oladipupo also called for continued collaboration from CAVB Zone 3. He asked for more friendly matches and a training tour to sharpen the team’s execution and overall performance ahead of the tournament scheduled for September.
Meanwhile, Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) president Engineer Musa Nimrod said the men’s squad will enter camp next month in preparation for the AFCON finals.
Nigeria and Ghana are set to represent CAVB Zone 3 at the Men’s African Nations Cup finals in DR Congo in September. On the women’s side, Nigeria, Ghana and Burkina Faso will carry the zone’s banner at the Women’s Volleyball AFCON in Kenya in August, and a podium finish in Kinshasa would place Nigeria in contention for qualification to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Côte d’Ivoire praised after successful Zone 3 event
In a related development, CAVB Zone 3 president Ali Yaro commended Côte d’Ivoire for staging the 2026 African Nations Championship Zone 3 qualifiers successfully for the first time. He said the competition marked an important step forward for volleyball development within the region.
Yaro highlighted the challenges many federations face when organising international events, particularly around funding and logistics. He thanked those involved in making the championship a success, noting that the tournament reflected the ongoing progress of the sport across West Africa.
“This is the first time Côte d’Ivoire has hosted a tournament of this nature, and it is a positive development for volleyball in our zone,” Yaro said. “Our countries often face financial and logistical challenges in organising international competitions, so I sincerely appreciate everyone who contributed to making this championship a success.”
The five-day tournament in Côte d’Ivoire saw seven countries compete for qualification to the continental championships. Yaro confirmed that Nigeria and Ghana earned the men’s places for the Democratic Republic of Congo after finishing as the top two teams.
He also announced that Nigeria, Ghana and Burkina Faso secured qualification for the women’s championship, which will be hosted by Kenya in August. The Zone 3 president added praise for the federations, referees, volunteers, media and the organising committee, saying their work demonstrated the steady growth of volleyball across the West African region.
Finally, Yaro expressed confidence that the qualified sides will perform strongly at the continental championships later this year.
