Nigeria Rise To Top Of CAVB Zone 3 As Men’s Volleyball Ranking Soars

Nigeria’s men’s national volleyball team has emerged as the highest-ranked side in CAVB Zone 3 following the latest update of the FIVB World Rankings after the 2026 CAVB Zone 3 Championship in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The latest rankings have further underlined Nigeria’s growing influence in West African volleyball, with the national men’s team climbing to 52nd in the world with 83.59 points, placing the country comfortably ahead of its regional rivals.

Nigeria’s improved ranking comes on the back of an impressive campaign at the 2026 CAVB Zone 3 Championship, where the team secured qualification for the 2026 African Volleyball Nations Championship.

Benin are Nigeria’s closest regional challengers, ranking second in Zone 3 and 69th globally with 59.42 points.

Niger occupy third position in the zone and are ranked 81st in the world with 48.12 points, while hosts Côte d’Ivoire are fourth in the regional standings and 86th globally on 45.94 points.

Togo are fifth in Zone 3 and 101st in the world with 36.59 points, followed by Burkina Faso, who are 116th globally with 24.26 points.

Ghana and Liberia are yet to earn points in the FIVB men’s world rankings.

Ghana Lead Women’s Rankings

In the women’s category, Ghana remain the leading team in CAVB Zone 3, occupying 51st position in the world with 72.83 points.

Côte d’Ivoire are second in the regional rankings and 56th globally with 63.79 points, while Benin are third in Zone 3 and 81st in the world on 41.39 points.

Togo sit fourth in the region and 92nd globally with 31.94 points, while Burkina Faso are fifth and 103rd in the world with 27.16 points.

Nigeria, Niger and Liberia are currently unranked in the women’s world standings following the latest update.

The FIVB rankings are determined by results from recognised international competitions and play an important role in the seeding and qualification pathways for future continental and global tournaments.

Nigeria’s rise to the summit of the men’s CAVB Zone 3 rankings represents another significant milestone for the country’s volleyball programme and reflects the steady progress made under the leadership of Engineer Musa Nimrod.

With qualification for the 2026 African Volleyball Nations Championship already secured, Nigeria will be looking to build on its regional dominance and translate its improved world ranking into stronger performances on the continental stage.