Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) has included four foreign-based players – Arinze Nwachukwu, Vincent Mathias, Pascal Okoye and Izuchukwu Oforah – in its list of 22 invitees for the upcoming continental championship in Tunisia, Sports247 reports.
The four players from overseas will join 18 home-based players selected from the domestic league for the 2026 African Men’s Volleyball Nations Championship, under the charge of Japanese coach Ryan Masajedi, assisted by Taiwo Oladipupo, Tswevini Yohanna and Jonah Adamu.
The invited players include four setters, five middle blockers, six outside hitters, four opposites and three liberos, who will all aim for glory at the championship, which was originally scheduled for the Democratic Republic of Congo, but will now be held in Tunisia’s capital from September 13 to 27.
A media statement from the NVBF signed by the chairman of the technical committee, Prince Tunde Omisore, expressed confidence that Masajedi will bring his wealth of experience into Nigeria’s men’s volleyball national team and guide them to a successful outing in Tunis.
Omisore added that the male squad’s camping exercise will commence this Saturday in Abuja, immediately after the departure of the female national team for the 2026 African Women’s Volleyball Championship in Kenya.
Sports247 gathered further that the full list has Bruno Ibeh, Favour Adeniyi, Elisha Anebi and Emmanuel Oko (setters), as well as Timothy Anele, Pascal Okoye, Jubril Mora, Kazeem Mutiu and Ferdinand Army (middle blockers), with Abednego Hassan, Ismail Tiamiyu and Precious Peter (liberos).
Also on the list are Abdulquadri Jaiyeola, Obayemi Ogunshina, Izuchukwu Oforah, Emmanuel Udah, Chukwuemeka Anachuna and Lucky Faruk (outside hitters), as well as Vincent Mathias, Armstrong Eozofor, Arinze Nwachukwu and Ebuka Okonkwo (opposites).
