The Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Navy are set to deepen collaboration in a bid to raise volleyball performance in Nigeria to international standards, the Comptroller General of Customs, Dr. Adewale Adeniyi, has said.
Adeniyi disclosed the plan at the grand finale of the Comptroller General of Customs Volleyball Premier League Championship in Abuja, an event he sponsored as part of efforts to empower Nigerian youths through sports.
He said strategic partnerships and the organisation of international-standard tournaments would strengthen the country’s volleyball structure and prepare local players for continental and global competitions.
“I am very pleased with what I observed. The organisation was exceptional,” Adeniyi said. “When we invest in sponsorship and see results like this, it encourages us. We watched teams recover from difficult moments to take the lead. By exposing these teams to continental competitions, we believe the existing gaps will be closed.”
The customs boss revealed that the service would work closely with the Nigeria Volleyball Federation and other relevant agencies to stage bigger competitions that offer players sustained exposure beyond local tournaments.
With the 2026 continental championship drawing closer, Adeniyi said discussions were ongoing on how to organise competitions that would prepare Nigerian teams for the demands of international volleyball.
He singled out the Nigerian Navy for praise after its team edged Nigeria Customs in a tense final to win the recently concluded championship, stressing that the two services would now work together toward a common national objective.
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The Chief of Naval Staff’s team produced a spirited display to defeat the former defending champions, Nigeria Customs, and currently sits at the top of Nigeria’s security volleyball rankings.
The Nigerian Correctional Service also impressed at the tournament, finishing third on the men’s points table after overcoming the Nigeria Police in their final match of the competition.
In the women’s category, the Chief of Naval Staff’s team emerged top of the table, with the Nigeria Customs women’s team finishing second and the Chief of Defence team placing third.
Adeniyi also commended President Bola Tinubu for giving renewed attention to sports development, noting that sustained investment in sports could play a major role in tackling youth unemployment and social challenges.
He expressed appreciation to the Nigeria Volleyball Federation for its consistency in uniting young Nigerians through the sport and reaffirmed Customs’ long-term partnership with the federation.
President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation and Chairman of African Beach Volleyball, Engineer Musa Nimrod, praised the Nigeria Customs Service for its continued investment in the game.
He described the championship as a major success and said the quality of play signalled a return to the golden era of Nigerian volleyball.
“I am very happy. What we witnessed was fantastic,” Nimrod said. “The Comptroller General of Customs Volleyball Premier League Championship was successful in grand style. Volleyball of the 1970s and 1980s is back.”
