Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Handball Team, the Golden Arrows, have been placed in Group A of the 27th Africa Men’s Handball Nations Cup scheduled to hold in January 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda.
The official draw, conducted on Friday in Kigali, placed Nigeria alongside host nation Rwanda, seven-time African champions Algeria, and Zambia in what is expected to be a fiercely contested group.
The Golden Arrows enter the championship with renewed confidence after winning the President’s Cup at the previous Africa Handball Nations Cup in Cairo, Egypt, where they finished 9th overall. Their spirited 31–27 victory over Libya to clinch the placement title demonstrated the team’s growing resilience and competitiveness at the continental level.
Nigeria has participated in the Africa Handball Nations Cup 15 times since making its debut in 1974 in Tunisia. The team’s best outing remains a 4th-place finish in 1998 in South Africa—an achievement the current leadership of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) is determined to surpass.
Reacting to the draw, the President of the HFN, Mr. Jibril Saidu Ojih (FNIQS), expressed strong optimism about Nigeria’s prospects while reaffirming the Federation’s commitment to elevating the national team’s standing in African handball.
“We respect every team in our group, but we are not afraid of anyone,” Ojih said.
“Our target is very clear. Nigeria must do better than we have ever done at the Nations Cup, and we are putting everything in place—from early preparation to quality technical support—to ensure the Golden Arrows arrive in Kigali ready to compete at the highest level.”
Ojih further emphasized that the Federation is fostering a new culture of consistency and competitiveness within the national teams, urging Nigerians to believe in the Golden Arrows.
“This team has grown in confidence, and Nigerians should believe in them. We will back the players fully because we want to see Nigeria return to the top tier of African handball where we truly belong.”
With the draw now completed, attention shifts to Nigeria’s preparations as the Golden Arrows aim for a historic and impactful performance at the 2026 Africa Men’s Handball Nations Cup.
Cosmos Chukwuemeka Akisi
HFN Media Assistant
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