Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals of the 2026 CAVB Women’s Africa Nations Championship were ended by hosts and defending champions Kenya, who secured a convincing 3-0 victory in their Round of 16 clash.
Backed by strong home support, Kenya dominated the encounter to win 25-21, 25-17, 25-15 and book their place in the last eight of the continental championship.
Nigeria, however, gave the defending champions a stern test, particularly in the opening set. The West Africans stayed within touching distance before Kenya eventually edged it 25-21.
The hosts raised their intensity in the second set, pulling away to win 25-17, before completing the straight-sets victory with a 25-15 triumph in the third.
Despite the disappointing defeat, Nigeria head coach Elishama Elam praised his young side for their fighting spirit against the defending champions.
“We gave a good fight. They really played what they deserved. We gave the Kenyans a run for their money. It was not just a pushover match. It was a good fight,” Elam said.
The coach believes the experience will benefit Nigeria’s rebuilding team, expressing confidence that future encounters with Kenya could produce a different result.
“Being a young team that we are trying to build, by the next time we meet, I think the story will not be like this,” he added.
Elam also identified Nigeria’s service errors as a major factor in the defeat, particularly in the opening set.
“If you look at the first set that we lost to the Kenyans 25-21, there were eight service errors. If we had converted only four of them, you can see that the scoreline would have been different,” he explained.
With their title hopes over, Nigeria will now compete in the classification matches, with Elam setting his sights on a top-10 finish.
“We are going to prepare for the classification match now. We hope to finish in the ninth or 10th position, by the special grace of God,” he said.
Elsewhere, Algeria booked their place in the quarter-finals after sweeping Senegal 3-0, winning 25-15, 25-17, 25-16.
Uganda also advanced to the last eight following a 3-0 victory over DR Congo, winning 25-16, 27-25, 25-18.
Four more Round of 16 matches are scheduled for Sunday, with Rwanda facing Burkina Faso, Zambia taking on Ghana and Egypt battling Burundi. Tunisia and Mali will round off the day’s programme.
While Kenya’s bid to retain their continental crown continues, Nigeria must now regroup for the classification stage as Elam looks to guide his youthful squad to a positive finish.
