New Year Message by the President, Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod to welcome the Nigeria Volleyball Community into the year 2025

 

It is with great joy I write to you all this message. Seeing the end of another year and the beginning of a new one is privileged by divine favor, which requires thanksgiving in many ways. 

The end of the 2023/2024 calendar year remains one of the most challenging in the history of this administration. 

The past one year marked an era of dramatic change in global, continental, and National Volleyball. Nigeria is not an exception to change in the growth of the sport. 

My profound gratitude goes to all volleyball enthusiasts, including players (active and inactive) coaches, referees and Administrators as well as Club Owners and Managers, spread in the four corners of our beloved country and the African continent.

Words alone can not express my appreciation. I am truly humbled by the support and encouragement from all of you. 

The end of 2023/2024 calendar year was birthed with the hosting of the African U17 girls championship. 

It was an interesting experience for young athletes from Nigeria, Egypt, and Cameroon. Nigeria clutched a spot in the World Girls' Championship but could not appear as a result of the unavailability of funds. 

The Yenagoa gathering of grassroots or amateur players was a huge success as young players from across the country converged for a championship, an event inspired by one of our own.

As stated in the annual Nigeria Volleyball Federation's calendar, last year  Beach Presidents’  Cup was hosted in kaduna with up to 40 teams participating in different categories of senior, U19 and U17 male and female. Nigeria is gradually becoming the hub of Beach Volleyball in Africa.

This can be attested from the podium finish at the African Games, a first since 2015. This achievement by two teenage girls was a testimony of our investment and commitment to grassroots volleyball. 

The National Volleyball Premier League got a sponsor for the first time after several years. 

Our appreciation goes to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service. This is a celebrated feat as  players were made the centerpiece of the sponsorship. 

To further buttress the vision for making the sponsorship  players oriented, the winning prize was the highest in the history of volleyball in Nigeria. This is in addition to the grants given to players and clubs in each of the phases. 

The National Division 1 and 2 leagues also got a boost from the government of Abia State.

Gradually, we hope for greater involvement and more funding from public and private entities that are interested in youths and sports development. 

Our  junior National teams, U17 Boys and Girls' participated in the CAVB Zone 3 championship held in Benin where they emerged Winners for both genders. 

One of the consistent programs of this administration is the National Beach Volleyball Tour. 

The two Zonal Representatives; South West and North East are instrumental in making sure these events are held in their respective zones. Key to this is the collaboration with the Bauchi State Government for the Beach Volleyball Tour. 

2024 was an elective year for international volleyball, and Nigeria is a beneficiary of both  CAVB and FIVB crucial positions that precede the congresses. 2025 will be an elective year that will produce another Board of Administration for NVBF.

It is with a humble heart that I announce that I was appointed as the  President of the African Beach Commission, while our international Representative is now the President of the FIVB Financial Commission. 

This is a great feat for the country and Africa in general. Our earnest desire is to see how these positions will transmit into a holistic growth of the game, first in Nigeria, the sub region, and the continent as a whole. 

However, we had many rough edges in our story for the 2024 calendar year.

One of such bitter experiences is Nigeria missing the sole Olympic ticket in the female category. Making it the third time we came as runner up in the same quest. 

The abysmal performance of team Nigeria in the volleyball event, in the African Games, in Accra  was also a sad reality to bear. 

Our men and women teams did not meet expectations despite the support they got from the Federation and other stakeholders. This led to reforms in the technical crew that will oversee a new national team for future engagement. 

Nigeria Volleyball Federation remains iconic in the comity of Federations in Nigeria, despite the frictions, our passion for the game does not allow personal sentiment to derail the progress of the game. We saw reconciliation and unity of purpose from all angles. 

We pray for more progress. 

 *Our Aspirations*  

As we embark on yet another journey for this year, we hope to step up our commitment to our sport , to pursue excellence that will help us drive home these objectives. 

* Make the podium of the next African Games

* Win the sole ticket for Beach Volleyball , for the Olympics of 2028 and Youth Olympic Games 2026

* Hope for a title sponsor for our divisional leagues, President Cup as well as the Beach tour. 

* Participate in the World and African Championship s. Nigeria will host the African Women Club Championship in Africa

* Host international events in Nigeria

* Set up a viable mechanism that will consolidate the technical capacity of our coaches and improve the capacity of our Referees. FIVB approved 2 International Coaches for Volleyball and Beach for a 12 month calendar program. 

We can not do it alone without you all. We are all part of the Federation, as players, Coaches, Referees, Administrators, sponsors or enthusiasts. There are different ways to play a role to grow the sport. 

 

Let’s put our hands and hearts together and grow volleyball. 

God bless Nigeria Volleyball

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

Thank you all.