The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) has shortlisted candidates for the position of high-performance manager for the country’s senior men’s national team, the Nigeria men’s national cricket team, popularly known as the Yellow Greens.
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The role became vacant following the departure of former Kenya international Steve Tikolo, who previously handled the position. The recruitment process for his replacement began on February 2, barely a week after he stepped down.
According to NCF General Manager Emeka Igwilo, the federation has completed the first phase of the process after receiving applications from both Nigerian and foreign candidates.
“People have applied and have been shortlisted, so the committee assigned is working on it. As soon as they are done, they will begin the process of conducting interviews for the final shortlisted candidates,” Igwilo said.
Applicants for the role were required to possess at least a Level 3 coaching qualification along with between eight and 10 years of coaching experience.
Additional requirements include exposure to high-performance or international cricket environments, proven success in elite player development, and a strong understanding of modern cricket methodologies, performance analytics, sports science, and conditioning.
Tikolo was the third foreign coach to lead the Yellow Greens, following South Africa’s Sean Phillips (2011–2012) and Sri Lanka’s Asanka Gurusinha (2020–2022).
It remains unclear whether the federation will appoint a Nigerian or another foreign coach for the role.
Meanwhile, preparations are intensifying for the 2026 Nigeria Cricket Federation Women’s Invitational Tournament, with 24 players currently in camp at the high-performance centre in Benin City, Edo State, battling for spots in the final squad of the Nigeria women’s national cricket team, also known as the Female Yellow Greens.
The tournament will be held at the Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval in Lagos from March 18 to 29.
Eight of the invited players are seeking their first appearance with the Female Yellow Greens, while the remaining 16 are regular members of the team who have represented Nigeria since at least 2022.
From the pool of 24 players, only 14 will make the final squad that will represent Nigeria in the five-nation competition.
The tournament will feature five teams — hosts Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and the South Africa women’s national under-19 cricket team, who will be making their debut appearance in the competition.
Originally launched as a bilateral series between Nigeria and Rwanda, the tournament has grown significantly in stature, gaining wider recognition while contributing to the development of women’s cricket across Africa.
Participating teams are expected to arrive in Lagos on March 18, with matches running throughout the tournament window before the final fixtures and official departures on March 29.
Beyond the matches, the event will also feature youth cricket clinics and stakeholder engagement activities aimed at strengthening grassroots participation and expanding the commercial ecosystem of cricket in Nigeria.
Invited Players
The 24 players currently in camp include:
Favour Eseigbe, Salome Sunday, Esther Sandy, Sarah Etim, Lucky Piety, Peculiar Agboya, Kehinde Amusa, Victory Igbinedion, Christabel Chukwuonye, Shola Adekunle, Rachael Samson, Lillian Ude, Anointed Akhigbe, Peace Usen, Omosigho Eguakun, Abigail Igbobie, Queen Joseph, Precious Simon, Beauty Oguai, Jessica Blosamuanya, Elizabeth Emmanuel, Favour Effiong, Opeyemi Popoola, and Henrietta Mbam.
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