Nigeria Open 22-Player Camp for African Cadets Men’s Handball Championship

Nigeria’s national U-18 men’s handball team have assembled a 22-player training camp in Abuja ahead of the 22nd African Cadets Men’s Handball Championship in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Head coach Abdulhakim Yakubu is leading the preparations with assistant Ayo Joshua.

The players are already working with the technical staff in Abuja, where the programme is centred on fitness, technical execution, tactical discipline and building understanding within the squad. The camp is intended to prepare Nigeria for a difficult continental campaign before the team travels to Côte d’Ivoire.

Nigeria have been placed in Group B with Tunisia, Algeria and Madagascar. The other groups feature Egypt, Cameroon and Congo in Group A; Morocco, Libya and Rwanda in Group C; and hosts Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Zambia and Burundi in Group D.

The squad has been selected across the main playing positions. Shuaibu Fridaymicheal, Shuaibu Muhammad and Lawal Muhammad are the goalkeeping options, while Aliyu Rufai, Sani Muntari, Friday Pagiel and Sulaimon Abayomi Fashogbon are listed as centre-backs. Godstime Michael, Usman Umar and Samuel Achama provide options at left-back, with Huzaifa Abdulkadir, Obieze Akunebu, Gana Abubakar Tauhidi and Muhammed Yahaya covering the right side.

Chikelu Chidiebere Divine, Hamza Yahaya, Aminu Dahiru and Abdulrahman Sani are the left-wing selections. Umar Mohammed, Abdullahi Abubakar and Zulkifilu Muhammed are named on the right wing, while Akibu Muhammad and Dominion Abukhate are the designated pivots.

The championship, organised by the Confédération Africaine de Handball, is a major competition for young players on the continent and forms part of the development pathway for African handball. Nigeria’s coaching team will continue refining the group in Abuja as the side targets a competitive showing against three challenging opponents in Group B.