Handball: Nigeria’s U-18 , U- 20 women’s team in camp ahead IHF women’s trophy zonal phase.

The Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) have opened preparatory camp for Nigeria’s U- 18 and 20 women handball teams in Lagos ahead of the IHF Trophy’s Women Zonal Phase which will hold from April 20 to 24th 2025 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire

The National U-18 women’s team led by Coach John Uzor and the U- 20 side led by Coach Adewunmi Agbola Shittu are at the Rowe Park Sports Center, Yaba, Lagos wherein they are undergoing intensive training in preparation for the competition which is the first hurdle in the IHF Women’s Trophy calendar for the year.

The U-20 consists of the entire team that made Nigeria proud in the U-18 category of the competition and made history by qualifying for the world cup for the first time ever in the history of the country such as Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and her twin sister Taiwo Babatunde who plays for Seasider Babes of Lagos, Esther Mathew of ADDIDJA HBC of Benin Republic and Rahima Bello who plays for KIRYATONO HBC of ISRAEL.

Others are the Samuel sisters; (Prudence and Precious), Chidera Ogbusimba, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters all from RIMA Queens of Sokoto as well as Damilola Akinlade of Rivers Queens.

The U-18 team has invited players in camp such as Omole Joy of Rivers Queens, Taiwo Islamiat of Seasiders Babes and Oluwalade Phoebe of Ekiti to mention a few.

For Coach Shittu, it is not a new experience as his present U-20 women’s team were the successful U-18 team that he led to finish second in the IHF Women’s Trophy Intercontinental Phase in Tashkent, Uzbekistan last year representing Africa following their success in the zonal and continental phase.

Coach Shittu, however believes this it’s a different situation as Nigeria has never participated in the Junior category (U- 20) of the competition and it will be a new level of experience for his girls.

“It is a new level experience as we haven’t played in the Junior category of the competition before now. We have the players who have participated in the youth level of this competition but are motivated to do well in the Junior level and we will overcome despite it being a different experience” Coach Shittu said.

For Coach John Uzor, his U-18 team wants to surpass the standards set by their compatriots and he believes they have the best crops of players to do so.

“We are entering into a big shoe worn by our elder sisters who are now in the U-20 category and we must maintain and even surpass their records.. We have the best crops of players picked from across the countries to do so and I believe we will overcome in Cote d’Voire.” Coach John said

The two teams must win the zonal phase in Abidjan to qualify for the continental phase later in the year.

U-18 Invited Players

Goalkeepers
1. Folorunsho Deborah ( Ekiti )
2. Victoria Peter (Suleja)
3. Sarah Peter ( Seasiders babes)

Left Back
4. Toyin Ogunsakin ( Ekiti)
5.⁠ Audu salamatu (Funad Academy)

Left Wing
6.⁠ Adebayo Aliyat ( Mindscope Academy)
7. Adegbite Abiodun (Ekiti)

Pivot
8. Oluwalade Phoebe ( Ekiti )

Center Back
9. Ayogu Success ( Ekiti)
10. Ojie princess ( Funad Academy)
11. ⁠Desola wasiu. ( Delta Force)
12. Nestor Abigail ( Mindscope academy )

Right back
13. ⁠Balogun faizat ( Seasiders babe)
14. Mohammed Balikis ( Rima Queens)

Right Wing
15. Taiwo Islamiat (Seasiders babes)
16. Ngaodurubie chetachi (COAS Babes)
17. ⁠Oloidi timillehin
18. ⁠Omole joy
19. ⁠Omole shops
20. ⁠Treasure Mike Osage
21. ⁠Duru Success
22. ⁠Okonkwo Sharon

Officials
1. Coach John
2. Coach Bukola Duru

U-20 Invited Players

1. KEHINDE BABATUNDE – ASPAC HBC, COTONOU
2. RAHIMA BELLO – KIRYATONO HBC, ISRAEL
3. ESTHER MATHEW – ADDIDJA HBC, COTONOU
4. CHIDERA OGBUSIMBA – RIMA QUEENS, SOKOTO
5. PRUDENCE SAMUEL -RIMA QUEENS, SOKOTO
6. PRECIOUS SAMUEL – RIMA QUEENS, SOKOTO
7. AMINA MOHAMMED – RIMA QUEENS, SOKOTO
8. JOY PETERS – RIMA QUEENS, SOKOTO
9. LUCY ONYEKWERE – RIMA QUEENS, SOKOTO
10. MARIAM OJO – FUNAD FALCONS, LAGOS
11. ELI GODIYA – FUNAD FALCONS, LAGOS
12. MICHAEL CHRISTIANA – DELTA FORCE. DELTA
13. OKOLO JOAN -DELTA FORCE. DELTA
14. IZUOBA IJEOMA – DELTA FORCE, DELTA
15. TAIWO BABATUNDE – SEASIDERS QUEENS,LAGOS
16. AKINLADE DAMILOLA – RIVERS QUEENS, RIVERS
17. AKINOLA GIFT – EKITI QUEENS , EKITI
18. OPEYEMI OLARENWAJU – OSUN UNITED, OSUN.
19. MAHMUD AISHAT – ADDIDJA HBC COTONOU
20. MONICA OPARA – RIMA QUEENS SOKOTO
21. EMUORE EMMAMUZO – DELTA FORCE, DELTA

COACHES:

1. AGBOOLA SHITTU ADEWUNMI – TOJEMAARINE HBC,LAGOS
2. ABDULLAHI SULEIMAN – RIMA QUEENS SOKOTO