By Arinzechi Chukwunonso
Nigeria’s men’s volleyball head coach, Taiwo Oladipupo, has set his sights on a podium finish at the 2026 African Nations Cup after the team sealed qualification for the continental championship in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Speaking after Nigeria’s successful campaign at the CAVB Zone 3 Qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Oladipupo said the team’s impressive performances have convinced him they can challenge Africa’s top sides, provided they receive the right preparation ahead of the September championship.
The coach stressed that international friendly matches and an overseas training tour would be crucial to Nigeria’s medal ambitions.
“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.
He described the qualification tournament as fiercely competitive, noting that every participating nation arrived determined to secure a place at the continental showpiece.
“Every country brought its best. No team came here just to participate. At the end of the day, only the best emerged, and that is what we are working hard to achieve,” he added.
Oladipupo also appealed to CAVB Zone 3 for continued support, urging the regional body to facilitate quality friendly matches and a training tour to strengthen the team’s preparations.
“We need maximum cooperation, friendly matches and, if possible, a training tour. That will help us improve the team’s performance, and I strongly believe in that,” he said.
Nigeria and Ghana will represent CAVB Zone 3 at the Men’s African Nations Cup in the Democratic Republic of Congo this September, with the tournament also serving as a pathway to qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
In the women’s category, Nigeria, Ghana and Burkina Faso will represent the zone at the African Women’s Volleyball Championship in Kenya this August.
Meanwhile, President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), Engineer Musa Nimrod, confirmed that the men’s national team will begin camping next month as preparations intensify for the African Nations Cup.
