By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
Nigeria’s Women’s Beach Volleyball team has secured Africa’s sole qualification ticket for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after emerging champions at the African Beach Volleyball Championship in Alexandria, Egypt.
The Nigerian pair of Esther Onyinye Mbah and Pamela Miyoum Bawa sealed the historic qualification with a commanding 2-0 victory over Morocco in the final of the continental championship.
Following the achievement, the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, announced the immediate integration of the athletes into the Elite and Podium Board training grant programme.
Olopade, while congratulating the team, said the move was aimed at ensuring that the athletes receive the necessary high-performance support and preparation ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games
“On behalf of the Chairman of the NSC, Mallam Shehu Dikko, I want to commend the progressive impact the board of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation has been making, both with the domestic league and the national teams,” Olopade said.
He noted that the women’s beach volleyball team had made significant progress in recent times, stressing that the NSC was committed to providing the team with the highest level of preparation for the Olympics.
“This is why we are immediately integrating the team into our Elite and Podium Board programme so that the players can begin to benefit from the athletes’ training grants that we instituted last year,” he added.
The Nigerian duo recorded an impressive run throughout the championship, defeating hosts Egypt in the Round of 16 before overcoming Morocco twice — in the quarter-finals and the final — to emerge African champions.
The qualification marks Nigeria’s return to the Olympic Beach Volleyball competition and gives the team a significant period to prepare for Los Angeles 2028 under the NSC’s high-performance support structure.
The NSC said the integration of the athletes into the Elite and Podium Board training grant programme reflects its commitment to identifying, supporting and rewarding athletes and teams with the potential to achieve success for Nigeria on the global stage.
The achievement also adds to Nigeria’s growing presence in international sports and highlights the impact of ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s sports development and high-performance programmes.
