Nigeria’s senior men’s volleyball team continued their impressive run at the 2026 African Nations Cup Zone 3 Qualifiers with a commanding straight-sets victory over hosts Côte d’Ivoire on Wednesday, maintaining their perfect record in the competition.
The Nigerian side produced another disciplined performance to seal a 3-0 win, taking the match 25-16, 25-20, 25-19 and strengthening their push for qualification to the African Nations Cup.
Playing in front of a partisan home crowd, Côte d’Ivoire struggled to match Nigeria’s intensity as the visitors dominated all three sets with solid attacking play, effective blocking and consistent serving.
Reacting after the victory, Head Coach Taiwo Oladipupo expressed delight with the team’s performance, describing the win over the host nation as a significant achievement.
“I’m very, very happy. It’s not an easy job to beat the host country, but we showed that we can do it,” Oladipupo said.
The coach also reflected on Nigeria’s unbeaten run in the tournament, attributing the team’s success to divine favour rather than individual ability.
“In everything, we thank God. It’s God’s power, not by our strength. When God is involved, you don’t need to be afraid. That is why we keep on winning, and we want to continue winning.”
Nigeria remain the only team yet to drop a point in the competition, underlining their status as one of the favourites to secure a place at the 2026 African Nations Cup.
The Nigerians will now shift their attention to what promises to be a tougher test against neighbouring Benin Republic in their next fixture, as they aim to preserve their flawless record and move a step closer to qualification.