The Super Eagles of volleyball claimed the win on Friday, July 17, to book their place at the continental championship scheduled from September 7 to 21.
Comeback Victory Seals Qualification
Benin took the first set 25-21 in a tense opening, but Nigeria responded strongly to level the match with a 25-21 win in the second set. The Nigerians then dominated the remaining sets, winning 25-15 and 25-20 to complete an impressive comeback.
The result handed Benin their first defeat of the tournament while extending Nigeria's unbeaten run to four matches. The team had earlier defeated Niger Republic 3-1, Côte d'Ivoire 3-0 and Togo 3-1.
NVBF President Hails Progress
President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod, expressed satisfaction with the team's performance and the sport's development in the country.
"We are delighted with the steady growth of volleyball in Nigeria. Our recent qualification for the competition in Congo and the qualification of our women's team for Kenya are clear signs that the sport is moving in the right direction," he said.
Nimrod revealed that preparations are already underway for the Under-19 boys' national team ahead of their competition in Egypt.
"As we continue our journey, preparations are underway for our Under-19 Boys National Team ahead of their upcoming competition in Egypt. We ask for your prayers and support as we work to overcome a few remaining challenges. We are confident everything will fall into place."
"On behalf of the Board of Administration of the Nigerian Volleyball Federation, I sincerely thank you all for your unwavering support and the excellent coverage you have given our activities. Your commitment to promoting volleyball in Nigeria has helped project the Federation in a positive light, and we truly appreciate it."
Nigeria will conclude their Zone 3 qualifying campaign on Saturday with a match against Burkina Faso. The qualification marks another positive step for Nigerian volleyball as the federation continues to build on recent successes.
