Nigeria Beat Hosts Senegal To Win African U18 Beach Volleyball Cup

Nigeria’s women’s team have been crowned champions of the 2026 African U18 Beach Volleyball Development Cup after defeating hosts Senegal A 2-0 in the final on Thursday.

The Nigerian pair of Joy Lawrence and Ifechukwu Odoh produced a dominant display to beat the hosts 21-8, 21-10 and secure the title in Senegal.

Lawrence and Odoh made a blistering start, quickly establishing control in the opening set and leaving Senegal A struggling to cope with Nigeria’s pace and precision.

The Nigerian duo maintained their composure throughout the set to claim it 21-8.

The hosts returned with greater determination in the second set, hoping to use home support to force a comeback. However, Lawrence and Odoh remained firmly in control, producing another disciplined performance to close out the set 21-10 and complete a straight-sets victory.

Nigeria coach John Iwerima praised the players for their resilience and fighting spirit throughout the tournament.

The former international also commended the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) for its support in ensuring the team participated in the competition.

“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,” Iwerima said.

He added that the experience gained in Senegal would prove valuable to the young players as they continue their development.

NVBF President, Engineer Musa Nimrod, also congratulated the players and coaching staff, describing the triumph as an encouraging sign for the future of beach volleyball in Nigeria.

Nimrod stressed the importance of sustained investment in youth competitions as part of the federation’s strategy to develop a strong pipeline of players for the senior national teams.

“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 underlines Nigeria’s growing strength in beach volleyball development and provides a significant boost to the country’s efforts to nurture the next generation of players.