Nigeria in Group A for 2026 Africa Men’s Handball Nations Cup
Nigeria’s Senior Men National Handball Team, the Golden Arrows, have been drawn into Group A of the 27th Africa Men’s Handball Nations Cup scheduled for January 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda.
Nigeria will battle host nation Rwanda, seven-time African champions Algeria, and Zambia in what promises to be a highly competitive group, following the official draw conducted on Friday in Kigali.
The Golden Arrows head into the tournament with renewed ambition after winning the President’s Cup at the last Africa Handball Nations Cup in Cairo, Egypt.
In that edition, the team finished 9th overall but showed great resilience by defeating Libya 31–27 to clinch the placement title.
Nigeria has featured in the Africa Handball Nations Cup 15 times since first qualifying for the championship in Tunisia in 1974 with best performance being a 4th-place finish in 1998 in South Africa; an achievement the current administration of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) is determined to surpass.
Speaking on the draw and Nigeria’s prospects, the President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria, Mr. Jibril Saidu Ojih (FNIQS), expressed optimism and reaffirmed the Federation’s commitment to elevating the team’s performance on the continental stage.
He noted that the Golden Arrows have shown significant improvement in recent years, adding that the Federation is taking strategic steps to ensure the team is adequately prepared for the challenge ahead.
“We respect every team in our group, but we are not afraid of anyone,” Ojih said.
“Our target is, however, very clear. Nigeria must do better than we have ever done at the Nations Cup and we are putting everything in place, from early preparation to quality technical support, to ensure the Golden Arrows arrive in Kigali ready to compete at the highest level.” Ojih said
Ojih added that the Federation is building a new culture of consistency and competitiveness in the national teams.
“This team has grown in confidence, and Nigerians should believe in them,” he said.
“We will back the players fully, because we want to see Nigeria return to the top tier of African handball where we truly belong.”
With the draw now concluded, focus turns to Nigeria’s preparations as the Golden Arrows look to make an impact and chase a historic outing at the 2026 championship.
