NOC commends NSSF, backs school volleyball champs

The Nigeria Olympic Committee has lauded the Nigeria School Sport Federation for its successful hosting of the 2nd National School Volleyball Championships, pledging continued support for future editions.

The four-day tournament, held at the National Institute for Sports inside the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, brought together 28 teams—10 boys’ and eight girls’ squads—from across the country, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Adamawa, Bauchi, and Bayelsa.

Organised by the NSSF in partnership with the Nigeria Volleyball Federation and supported by the Lagos State Sports Commission, the event showcased youthful energy, competitive spirit, and grassroots sports development.

Bayelsa and Bauchi states emerged champions, while Adamawa and Oyo claimed bronze medals in the boys’ and girls’ categories, respectively, defeating Ekiti and Ogun in the third-place matches.

Special guest of honour, NOC President Engr. Habu Gumel described the championships as a breeding ground for future stars.

“We are excited with what we are seeing in this tournament, and we are happy that the future is secure with the quality of play displayed by these students. This shows that Nigeria has athletes capable of competing at the Commonwealth, Olympic, and African Games. Please feel free to reach out to us so we can support NSSF in future tournaments,” he said.

NSSF President Olabisi Joseph expressed satisfaction with the success of the second edition, noting that the federation will continue working with NVBF to identify top talents.

“We are happy with the beautiful display by the participating teams, and we will collaborate with NVBF to select the best players to represent Nigeria at the 2026 International School Sport Federation  World School Volleyball Championship in China,” she stated.

The championships concluded on Friday, April 24, with thrilling matches that underscored the promise of Nigeria’s next generation of volleyball talent.