By Arinzechi Chukwunonso
President of the Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) Zone 3, Ali Yaro, has applauded the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) for successfully hosting the African Nations Cup Beach Volleyball Zone 3 Qualifiers in Badagry, describing the tournament as a major boost for volleyball development in West Africa.
Speaking during the championship, Yaro said the competition provided an invaluable platform for countries across the region to test their strength and prepare for the upcoming African Nations Beach Volleyball Championship in Morocco.
Although Nigeria had already secured qualification for the continental championship, he noted that the qualifiers offered other participating nations a rare opportunity to gain competitive experience ahead of the tournament.
Yaro commended the choice of Badagry as the host city, saying its proximity to neighbouring countries made travel easier and contributed to the impressive participation of six nations.
“The standard of play has been very high,” Yaro said. “Last year, Zone 3 produced several teams that qualified for the World Championship, which shows the quality and potential of our region.”
He urged traditional volleyball powerhouses in the zone, including Nigeria, Ghana, Benin and Togo, to sustain their progress and continue raising the standard of the game across West Africa.
To further enhance the region’s chances at the continental championship, Yaro disclosed that CAVB Zone 3 is planning a regional training camp ahead of the Morocco tournament. The camp, he said, could be hosted by Benin, Nigeria or Togo and will bring together the zone’s top teams.
“When we go to Morocco, we will not only represent our individual countries but also Zone 3. We must work together to ensure our teams are fully prepared for this important competition,” he said.
He added that a strong performance in Morocco would improve the region’s prospects of qualifying more teams for the World Championship.
Beyond beach volleyball, Yaro revealed that Zone 3’s attention would immediately shift to the African Nations Cup indoor volleyball qualifiers scheduled for Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where seven countries are expected to compete.
Expressing optimism about the future of volleyball in the region, Yaro wished all participating teams success and expressed confidence that the countries qualifying for Morocco would unite in pursuit of continental honours and World Championship qualification.
