Sports
Nigeria Handball Coach Sure To Win Nations Cup
Head Coach of the na
tional handball team, Fidelis Obi, on Thursday said the players at his disposal were fit and capable of excelling at the upcoming African Nations Cup.
Obi told newsmen in Abuja that he was going to have his final list of 18 male players for the competition by next week after playing two friendly matches.
The Tide source reports that the competition which is scheduled for January 20 to January 31 will hold in Cairo, Egypt.
“I rate my boys very high because at the last African Games, at Brazzaville in Congo, we finished fourth position, and I believe our performance shall improve at this championship.
“But we are looking forward to see if we can have the opportunity of playing at the World Championship in France and the Olympics.
“We initially had 26 players and two coaches, with some other members of the technical crew. But now we have 22 players after screening.
“We are going to pick our final list by next week when we are done with playing two friendly matches.
“Then we will cut it down to 18 players, and those are the ones that will travel for the competition,’’ the coach said.
Obi however pointed out that even though the fitness level of the players was high, they still needed to play foreign friendlies to ensure a better performance.
“We have achieved greatly, because the rate of the fitness level of the players has been improving day by day and we are trying to see how to coordinate this for better performance.
“But for the team to play as a team, we can only achieve that by playing all the friendly matches we can get.
“So, we are also looking forward to playing some friendly matches outside the country, either in Republic of Benin, Ghana or Togo, and maybe before January 18,’’ he said.
Though he expressed his disappointment at their failure to play competitions in 2015, Obi was however optimistic that 2016 would be better.
“2015 was not that good as we had very few championships in the country and the African Games was the only championship we had.
“We were given the opportunity to camp for one month and that was why we performed well by getting into the semi-finals.
“Though it was not an easy task but we were able to, with that performance, get the Confederation of African Handball (CAHB) to give us some spots to play in the Nations Cup and Olympics qualifier,’’ the coach said.
He was optimistic his team was capable of doing well in 2016 if the encouragement was there, especially from the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN). “Because motivation is very important for the team right now. In fact, with little motivation we will go places this year.
“This is the first championship for handball in the African level and we hope to do well.
“If this happens, it will pave way for the other national teams, especially the junior teams in the junior championships coming up in Africa,’’ Obi said.
The collaboration came to the fore during the 2025 Governor’s Golf and Business Tournament, held on Saturday at the Calabar Golf Club.
The high-profile tournament, which drew government officials, corporate leaders, and professional golfers from across Nigeria, is part of efforts to project Cross River as a safe, green, and business-friendly destination.
Speaking at the event, the Group Chief Executive Officer of First Bank of Nigeria, Olusegun Alebiosu, said the bank’s partnership with the state underscores its long-standing commitment to sports development and business growth.
“We have been in Calabar for nearly 100 years, supporting businesses and government initiatives. Golf is health, golf is life, and golf is business.”
Alebiosu described the Calabar Golf Course as “one of the most well-maintained in the country” and assured of continued corporate support for sports that enhance social and economic connections.
In his remarks, Governor Bassey Otu expressed delight that the tournament had grown beyond leisure to become a platform for economic collaboration. He noted that the event aligns with his administration’s vision to use sports and tourism as major drivers of development in the state.
“We are looking to promote golf and other sports that attract people to our state.
Cross River is already a tourist destination, and we want visitors to enjoy both our greenery and our culture.
“Sports today are not just recreation. It is business.”
Otu, in whose honour the tournament was held, described the initiative as “humbling,” adding that” he looks forward to expanding it annually and developing Calabar as one of Africa’s prime golf tourism destinations.”
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Finance, Michael Odere, who initiated the tournament concept, said the goal was to blend leisure and business by creating an informal environment for investors and policymakers to network.
“We are here to showcase not just tourism and culture, but to have meaningful business conversations. Many investors rarely get time to meet government decision-makers.
“Cross River is already a tourist destination, and we want visitors to enjoy both our greenery and our culture.
“Sports today are not just recreation. It is business.”
Otu, in whose honour the tournament was held, described the initiative as “humbling,” adding that” he looks forward to expanding it annually and developing Calabar as one of Africa’s prime golf tourism destinations.”
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Finance, Michael Odere, who initiated the tournament concept, said the goal was to blend leisure and business by creating an informal environment for investors and policymakers to network.
“We are here to showcase not just tourism and culture, but to have meaningful business conversations. Many investors rarely get time to meet government decision-makers.
“So this event gives them that opportunity to discuss, partner, and invest in Cross River while enjoying our beautiful course”, Odey stated.
Highlighting the scale of participation, the Vice Captain of the Calabar Golf Club, Anietie Okon, said the event featured 80 golfers from 10 states across the country, adding that the large turnout reflects the growing national recognition of the Calabar Golf Course as a preferred venue.
“We are happy to host golfers from different parts of Nigeria. It shows confidence in our facilities and the peace that Calabar offers,” Okon added.
The decision comes after Benin failed to secure approval for any of their home stadiums from the Confederation of African Football.
As a result, the federation opted to play its “home” fixture at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé.
The first leg of the second-round qualifier will be held in Togo on October 24, whilst the return leg will take place four days later in Nigeria on October 28.
The aggregate winner over the two legs will advance to the 2026 WAFC
Ferdinand soared to victory on Saturday, lifting an impressive 153kg to clinch gold in the women’s up to 79kg category and further cement Nigeria’s legacy in the sport.
Her remarkable feat added to Nigeria’s growing medal haul at the historic championship after Nworgu had earlier won silver in the 50kg category, whilst Ajiboye claimed bronze in the same class.
Nworgu narrowly missed gold to Venezuela’s Clara Fuentes, who edged her out for the top spot in a fiercely contested competition.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, congratulated the athletes on their outstanding performances, commending their relentless drive and patriotic spirit.
“Our athletes continue to make us proud, showing the world that Nigeria is a force to be reckoned with in para powerlifting. Their bright start in Cairo reflects the depth of talent, discipline, and dedication that define Nigerian sports,” Olopade said.
“The NSC remains steadfast in providing the necessary support to ensure our champions keep soaring.”
The 11th World Para Powerlifting Championships, taking place from October 9 to 18, 2025, marks the first-ever edition to be hosted on African soil, a milestone event highlighting the continent’s growing influence in adaptive sports.
The National Sports Commission had expressed confidence in the team’s readiness and determination to uphold Nigeria’s longstanding reputation as a force to be reckoned with in global para powerlifting.
The hosting of the championships in Cairo represents a significant moment for African para sports, providing an opportunity to showcase the continent’s growing infrastructure and commitment to disability sports.
Nigeria has established itself as one of the leading nations in para powerlifting, consistently winning medals at major international competitions, including the Paralympic Games and World Championships.
The 10-day competition has attracted top para powerlifters from across the globe, all vying for world titles in their respective weight categories.
The National Sports Commission reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Team Nigeria throughout the competition as the athletes aim for more podium finishes and continue to make the nation proud.
Nigeria’s strong start in Cairo has raised expectations that more medals will follow as the championship progresses, with several other Nigerian lifters yet to compete in their respective weight categories.
-
Politics3 days agoTinubu Swears In New INEC Chairman
-
News13 seconds agoReps Summon NAFDAC, Police, Others For Illicit Drug Probe
-
Niger Delta30 minutes ago
Coy Advocates Indigenous Innovation For Africa’s Energy Future
-
News3 days ago
Germany Promises Continued Support For Nigeria’s Anti-terrorism Fight
-
Business12 minutes agoNDDC Unveils Naval Facilities To Boost Region’s Security
-
News46 minutes agoRIVERS PEACE EFFORTS YIELDING RESULTS, SAYS FUBARA ….Promises Rehabilitation Of Internal Roads, GSS Akabuka
-
Niger Delta30 minutes ago
Partnership With Security Chiefs’ Excites Ogbuku … As NDDC Unveils Naval Outpost In Bayelsa
-
News3 days agoEFCC Arrests 792 Suspects In Investment, Crypto Fraud Crackdown