Nigeria’s women’s team has emerged champions of the 2026 African U-18 Beach Volleyball Development Cup after defeating hosts Senegal A 2-0 in the final in Senegal on Thursday, August 12.
The Nigerian pair of Joy Lawrence and Ifechukwu delivered a commanding performance, winning 21-8, 21-10 to secure the continental title.
Nigeria established its dominance from the opening exchanges, with Lawrence and Ifechukwu quickly taking control of the first set and leaving the hosts struggling to mount a sustained challenge.
The Nigerian duo maintained their composure and tactical discipline to comfortably claim the opening set 21-8.
Senegal A returned for the second set with greater determination, encouraged by the home crowd, but Nigeria remained firmly in control.
Lawrence and Ifechukwu continued to dictate the pace, producing another composed display to close out the set 21-10 and seal the championship.
Reacting to the victory, Nigeria’s coach, John Iwerima, praised the players for their resilience, discipline and fighting spirit throughout the competition.
The former international also acknowledged the support of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) for making the team’s participation possible.
Iwerima said the triumph demonstrated the strength of Nigeria’s youth development structure.
“The players showed great resilience and determination throughout the competition. This victory is a clear indication that Nigeria has one of the best developmental programmes in Africa.”»
He added that the international exposure gained by the young players would play an important role in their continued development and preparation for future competitions.
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Meanwhile, NVBF President, Engineer Musa Nimrod, described the victory as a significant boost for the future of beach volleyball in Nigeria.
Nimrod congratulated the players and coaching crew for their impressive performance, stressing that sustained investment in youth competitions remained critical to building a strong pipeline of future senior players.
“The future of beach volleyball in Nigeria is very bright. We will continue to focus on underage competitions because that is how we can build stronger senior women’s teams for the future,” he said.»
The victory further highlights Nigeria’s growing presence in African youth beach volleyball and underscores the importance of continued grassroots investment in the sport.
