Nigeria's U-18/20 Women's team in camp ahead of IHF Women's Trophy Zonal Phase

Posted : 11 April 2025

The Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) has opened a preparatory camp for Nigeria's U-18 and U-20 Women's Handball teams in Lagos ahead of the IHF Women's Trophy's Zonal Phase, which will take place from April 20 to 24, 2025, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

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

The U-20 team consists of the entire squad 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 country's history. Key players include 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 include 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, among others.

For Coach Shittu, this is not a new experience, as his current U-20 women's team was the successful U-18 team he led to victory, finishing second in the IHF Women's Trophy Intercontinental Phase in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, last year, representing Africa after their success in the zonal and continental phases.

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

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

For Coach John Uzor, his U-18 team aims to surpass the standards set by their compatriots, and he believes they have the best group of players to achieve this.

"We are stepping into big shoes worn by our elder sisters, who are now in the U-20 category, and we must maintain and even surpass their standards. We have the best group of players selected from across the country to do so, and I believe we will overcome in Côte d'Ivoire," Coach John said.

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

U-18 Invited Players
Goalkeepers

Folorunsho Deborah (Ekiti)

Victoria Peter (Suleja)

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 Babes)
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

Coach John

Coach Bukola Duru

U-20 Invited Players
Kehinde Babatunde - ASPAC HBC, Cotonou

Rahima Bello - KIRYATONO HBC, Israel

Esther Mathew - ADDIDJA HBC, Cotonou

Chidera Ogbusimba - RIMA Queens, Sokoto

Prudence Samuel - RIMA Queens, Sokoto

Precious Samuel - RIMA Queens, Sokoto

Amina Mohammed - RIMA Queens, Sokoto

Joy Peters - RIMA Queens, Sokoto

Lucy Onyekwere - RIMA Queens, Sokoto

Mariam Ojo - Funad Falcons, Lagos

Eli Godiya - Funad Falcons, Lagos

Michael Christiana - Delta Force, Delta

Okolo Joan - Delta Force, Delta

Izuoba Ijeoma - Delta Force, Delta

Taiwo Babatunde - Seasiders Queens, Lagos

Akinlade Damilola - Rivers Queens, Rivers

Akinola Gift - Ekiti Queens, Ekiti

Opeyemi Olarenwaju - Osun United, Osun

Mahmud Aishat - ADDIDJA HBC, Cotonou

Monica Opara - RIMA Queens, Sokoto

Emuore Emmamuzo - Delta Force, Delta

Coaches:
Agboola Shittu Adewunmi - Tojemarine HBC, Lagos

Abdullahi Suleiman - RIMA Queens, Sokoto

Nigeria's U-18/20 Women's team in camp ahead of IHF Women's Trophy Zonal Phase

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