Nigeria’s U-18 and 20 Women Handball Coaches Release Final Team Lists ahead of IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase Championship

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Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players respectively ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase which will hold in Abidjan, Cote’d’Voire from April 20th through to the 24th 2025.

The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Center, Yaba, Lagos for close to two weeks and have decided to streamline their lists to 14 players as they prepare to travel to Abidjan for the competition.

The teams left Lagos, Nigeria on Thursday morning enroute to Abidjan, Cote’d’Voire for the competition.

Coach John Uzor of the National U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside Right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo makes the cut amongst others.

In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely sticked with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters. Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew who is also based in Benin Republic keep their placed.

Despite not having key player Taiwo Babatunde due to her school Yaba College of Technology refusal to release her for national service, Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously in the U-18 level.

“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as het school, Yaba College of Technology insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examination.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release.
“It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission should work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events.

“Regardless, we still have the core of the team and I believe we’ll do well at the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase Championship in Abidjan, Cote’d’Voire.” Coach Shittu said.

In the Youth U-18 category, Nigeria is in group A alongside Ghana, Togo and Bukina Faso and they will begin their campaign against Togo on Sunday at 11am afterwards they will play Burkina Faso on Monday at 9am and then play Ghana on Tuesday at 11am.

Nigeria’s U-20 team are in Group B alongside Benin Republic and Togo. They will begin their campaign on Monday against Togo at 3pm and then play Benin Republic on Tuesday at 3pm.

All matches will be played at the Salle polyvalente des parcs de sport de treichville (Multipurpose Sports Hall), Abidjan.

NATIONAL U-18 GIRLS

1. Omole Joy

2. Ngaodurubie chetachi Angela

3. Omole Shola

4. Sharon Okonkwo

5. Ojie Princess

6. Nestor Abigail

7. Balogun Faisat

8. Audu Salamatu

9. Mohammed Balikis

10. Duru