The Nigeria Badminton Federation (NBF) has kicked off its preparations for the All Africa Senior Championships 2026, set to take place in Gaborone, Botswana, from February 9 to 15, 2026.
The Nigerian senior men’s and women’s teams are currently training at the Abuja National Stadium after completing a week-long player trial.
As the team gears up for this prestigious African championship, they have adopted a new strategy by incorporating more energetic younger players alongside experienced ones to enhance their chances of success.
The assistant head of the Nigeria Badminton office, Enejoh Abah, on Wednesday stated in an interview that the newly recruited young players have successfully qualified for the national team after a thorough evaluation during the trials.
He mentioned that both veteran and new players are now prepared for the tournament in Botswana and are currently engaged in a week of training to recover from the demanding trials before departing for the championship.
“So far, we are seeing a lot of potential. The younger members of the team performed exceptionally well in the trials, and we are confident that after this training, we will be ready for the tournament in Botswana,” he said.
The team is scheduled to fly out between February 5 and 6, ahead of the tournament starting on February 9, 2026.
Recently, the African Badminton Federation issued a warning to all participating teams across Africa about the consequences of late arrivals, which may result in penalties.
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The assistant coach further highlighted some challenges faced by the national badminton team, including the absence of key players, which has necessitated the formation of a new team dynamic.
Funding and facilities were also noted as concerns, with the assistant coach warning that inadequate attention to these issues could negatively impact performance.
He urged the National Sports Commission (NSC) to implement its laudable 2026 plans promptly, as the year has already begun with an important tournament.
Despite these challenges, he remains hopeful that the team can secure a significant number of the seven gold medals available.
Enejoh pointed out that Algeria is Nigeria’s main competitor, given their consistent success in both men’s and women’s categories over the years.
Aliyu Alhaji, one of Nigeria’s top national players, expressed confidence in the team’s preparations and assured fans of their potential to win gold medals.
He believes that the combination of new talent and experienced players will lead to an impressive performance.
