NSC celebrates Nigeria Women’s Beach Volleyball historic Olympic qualification

Qualification

By Olanrewaju Akojede

Lagos, Aug. 23, 2026 (NAN)The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has announced that Nigeria’s Women’s Beach Volleyball team will be immediately integrated into the training grant programme of the Elite and Podium Board.

The announcement by Olopade came on the heels of Nigeria’s Women’s Beach Volleyball team’s historic qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Olopade, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media, Kola Daniel, on Sunday in Lagos, congratulated Team Nigeria on securing Africa’s sole qualification ticket to the 2028 Olympic Games.

This came after a dominant performance at the African Beach Volleyball Championship in Alexandria, Egypt.

Esther Onyinye Mbah and Pamela Miyoum Bawa made history by defeating Morocco 2-0 in the final to claim the continental title and book Nigeria’s place at the Olympic Games.

“The qualification represents another major milestone for Nigerian sports,” he said.

Olopade further demonstrated the impact of the country’s growing sports ecosystem and the ongoing reforms aimed at ensuring that every sport has the opportunity to thrive and compete at the highest level.

“On behalf of the Chairman of the NSC, Shehu Dikko, I commend the progressive impact the board of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation has been making, both with the domestic league and the national teams.

“The Nigeria Women’s Beach Volleyball team has been making giant strides in recent times, and the NSC is determined to ensure the team receives the highest level of high-performance preparation ahead of the Olympic Games.

“This is why we are immediately integrating the team into our Elite and Podium Board programme so that the players can begin to benefit from the athletes’ training grants that we instituted last year.”

“The Nigerian pair produced an impressive run through the championship, overcoming host Egypt in the Round of 16 before defeating Morocco twice, in the quarterfinals and again in the final, to emerge African champions,” he said.

Olopade added that the achievement marked Nigeria’s return to the Olympic Beach Volleyball competition.

“The achievement provides the team with a significant runway to prepare for Los Angeles 2028 under the support structure of the National Sports Commission’s high-performance programme.

“The immediate integration of the athletes into the Elite and Podium Board training grant programme is part of our commitment.

“The commitment is to identifying, supporting and rewarding athletes and teams demonstrating the potential to deliver success for Nigeria on the global stage,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

KOJE/KOO
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Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa

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