Nigeria storm into African Beach Volleyball Championship quarterfinals

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By Maxwell Kumoye
 

Nigeria booked their place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 African Beach Volleyball Nations Championship after defeating hosts Egypt 2-0 in the Round of 16 in Alexandria on Friday.

The Nigerian pair of Esther Mbah and Pamela Bawa produced an impressive display to overcome the former African champions 21-17, 21-16 and send Nigeria into the last eight.

Mbah and Bawa made a confident start to the opening set, applying early pressure on the Egyptian duo and maintaining their composure to secure a 21-17 victory.

The Nigerians carried that momentum into the second set, controlling the crucial stages of the contest before completing a 21-16 win to seal their quarterfinal berth.

The victory also marked a strong response from Nigeria following their defeat to Morocco in their final group-stage match.

Nigeria Volleyball Federation board member Chinedu Onikeku (OLY) praised the players for their performance, saying their victory had given Nigerians back home reason to celebrate.

“Nigerians are excited with the performance of the girls against the host nation, Egypt, in the Round of 16,” Onikeku said.

“The girls have put a smile on the faces of Nigerians back home. Esther and Pamela gave a good account of themselves and proved that they are a force to reckon with in beach volleyball.

“They bounced back from their loss against Morocco in their third group-stage match, and this victory is a huge statement from the team.”

Mbah and Bawa will now turn their attention to the quarterfinals as they continue their campaign for a place on the championship podium.

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