Nigeria's under-23 men's handball team has begun camping in Abuja ahead of the IHF Emerging Nations Championship.
The IHF Emerging Nations Championship 2023, organised by the International Handball Federation (IHF), holds in Bulgaria from April 25th - 30th 2023.
Nigeria will be participating for the second time in the competition, with her first appearance in 2019 in Georgia when Nigeria defeated Columbia to finish 7th in the championship.
![Nigeria drawn in Group D at the IHF Men's Emerging Nations Championship](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/11032023/205bcbeb-c291-4cac-9ac2-99b772b288c7.jpg?operations=fit(180:))
09:40 - 11.03.2023
HANDBALL Nigeria drawn in Group D at the IHF Men's Emerging Nations Championship
The championship will be held in Bulgaria from April 25–30.
![Prudent Energy Handball League](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/01112022/30860099-c3da-44e4-bfd5-3df3eba2620a.jpg?operations=fit(480:))
Nigeria’s Group
Nigeria has been handed a difficult group after the Under-23s were drawn to play in Group D alongside the host Bulgaria and Azerbaijan.
Consequently, Coach Solomon Yola has invited 18 professional handball players led by the duo of Farouk Yusuf of the Spanish Handball side, Grannolars and Obina Ani who plays in Russia.
![](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/13012023/b86ee2c0-5777-4e7f-a0ea-3288d5a1a668.jpg?operations=fit(480:))
All the players are in camp aside from Yusuf, Ani and Kingsley Ifenna of plays for Beersheba of Israel who are expected to join the team in Bulgaria.
The IHF Championship
The IHF Emerging Nations Championship is a special IHF project that has been aimed at supporting emerging nations since 2015.
The championship is considered a qualification process for the European Handball Federation and also provides opportunities for countries from other continental confederations to take part.
![](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/19012023/69101cfd-15a9-4054-babc-e5aaebb8f652.jpg?operations=fit(480:))
Therefore, countries that currently participate are those in the “four-year plan” of the European Handball Federation and the best-ranked countries from other continents that did not qualify for the World Men's Handball Championship.
![Nigeria names team for U-18 girls tourney, departs for Zone 3 Phase](https://sportal365images.com/process/smp-images-production/ringier.africa/10042023/58bd31da-5583-4946-8b6f-b32ea98ed95d.jpg?operations=fit(180:))
18:55 - 10.04.2023
HANDBALL Nigeria names team for U-18 girls tourney, departs for Zone 3 Phase
The Nigerian team named a 14-woman team to represent the country in the IHF Trophy Africa in Ghana.
Full list of Players
1. ADAMOLUGBE OLADUNJOYE BABATUNDE (POLICE MACHINE)
2. ALIYU AMINU (NIGER UNITED)
3. ANI OBINNA (RUSSIA)
4. SHAGARI JOHN (SOKOTO RIMA)
5. SALAMI HAKEEM DAMILARE (ADDIDJAT, BENIN REPUBLIC)
7. AMUSAN OLUWASEUN ADENIJI (TOJEMARINE)
8. YUSUF SOLOMON (KANO PILLARS)
9. OKUBUIKE KINGSLEY IFENNA (BEERSHEBA ISRAEL)
10. DIKKO IBRAHIM (KANO PILLARS)
11. YUSUF FARUK (GRANOLLARS SPAIN)
12. AGADA ANTHONY NGBEDE (CONFLUENCE STARS)
13. OKWOR OBINNA (CONFLUENCE STARS)
14. DANIEL BELLO (TOJEMARINE)
15. NWODO CHIBUZOR JOHN (KANO PILLARS)
16. LAWAL TAHIR AHMED (CORRECTION BOYS)
17. YAHAYA ISMAILA (NIGER UNITED)
18. AJIBIKE KAREEM AKANNI OLAWOLE (TOJEMARINE)
OFFICIALS
1. YOLA SOLOMON MARTINS (HEAD COACH)
2. ADEBAYO YEKINI (ASSISTANT COACH)
3. MOHAMMED BALA KHALID
4. ALMU UMAR LAMBU