By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
Nigeria made history on Saturday as the national netball team, the Green Hawks, made their first-ever appearance at an international netball competition at the Africa Cup in Nairobi, Kenya.
The tournament, taking place at the Kasarani International Stadium Indoor Arena, also serves as a qualifying series for the 2027 Netball World Cup scheduled to be held in Australia.
Nigeria had never previously fielded a national netball team until the establishment of the Nigeria Netball Federation in February 2026 and the subsequent formation of the national team in June.
The Green Hawks, who arrived in Nairobi on Friday, will face hosts Kenya in the opening match of the tournament following the opening ceremony.
The rapid development of netball in Nigeria has been driven by the Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, with the support of the Commission’s Chairman, Shehu Dikko, who facilitated funding for the newly established federation.
Olopade said the initiative was aimed at creating another pathway for Nigerian girls to pursue sporting careers.
“It was something I really wanted to do. To give our girls another option and another pathway to progress and success in sport. All the nations in Africa are embracing netball. And we have the ability, the passion and the girls who can stand up and do it,” he said.
The Green Hawks are made up mainly of Nigerian players based in England and are coached by Alison Akinrinlola, a former England international netball player who also heads a netball franchise in the United Kingdom with pathways to the English Netball Super League.
Akinrinlola, who is Nigerian by marriage, expressed optimism that the team’s participation would help establish a strong foundation for the growth of netball in Nigeria.
“To now be presented with a chance to give opportunity to these talented girls to express themselves on the international scene is such a privilege,” she said.
She added that the objective goes beyond qualifying for the World Cup, stressing the importance of inspiring more girls in Nigeria to take up the sport and building the country into a competitive netball nation.
Regardless of the team’s results at the Africa Cup, its participation marks a significant milestone, coming barely three months after the national team was assembled and putting Nigeria alongside established netball nations on the continent.
Team captain, 21-year-old Jade Popoola, said the players were excited about representing Nigeria on the international stage.
“We arrived in Nairobi really excited. This is real now. And we are so thankful for this opportunity. We intend to give it our best and make Nigeria proud,” Popoola said.
