Handball: Nigeria clinch double glory at West Africa tournament in Lomé
Add us on Google Nigeria’s youth handball teams underlined their regional dominance with a historic double triumph at the IHF Trophy Africa Zone 3 Phase, defeating their opponents convincingly in both finals on Saturday in Lomé, Togo. The Nigerian Under-18 side delivered a commanding display to overpower Côte d’Ivoire 32–19, sealing the title with authority. The team, coached by Abdulhakim Yakubu, controlled proceedings from start to finish, combining disciplined defence with fluid attacking play to overwhelm their opponents. Their triumph capped an impressive campaign that included a dominant 42–22 semi-final victory over Ghana, a performance that highlighted their consistency and growing reputation as one of the strongest youth teams in the region. In the Under-20 category, Nigeria completed the double with a 39–29 victory over Benin in the final. Coached by David Emmanuel, the team showed attacking efficiency and composure to secure a comfortable win and lift the second trophy for the country. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google /* 1. Wrapper & Container / .gn-wrapper { width: 100%; padding: 20px 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; } .gn-card { width: 100%; max-width: 600px; background: #ffffff; padding: 28px; border-radius: 16px; border: 1px solid #e0e0e0; box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.08); font-family: 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; } / 2. Header & Premium Times Logo / .gn-header { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 14px; margin-bottom: 16px; } .gn-logo { height: 36px; / Slightly larger to balance the new text sizes / width: auto; object-fit: contain; } .gn-title { font-size: 22px; margin: 0; color: #1a1a1a; font-weight: 800; } / 3. 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They edged past Ghana 21–19 in a tense semi-final clash, holding their nerve in the closing stages. Goalkeeper Attahiru Sahabi emerged as the hero of that encounter, earning Man of the Match honours after a series of crucial saves that proved decisive. READ ALSO: LALIGA: Adams ends goal drought as Sevilla boost survival hopes with Atlético win Saturday’s victories confirm Nigeria’s dominance in the Zone 3 competition and mark a successful defence of their regional standing in youth handball. More importantly, both teams have now qualified for the continental phase of the IHF Trophy, where they will face top sides from across Africa. The double success reflects sustained efforts by the National Sports Commission to strengthen grassroots development in Nigerian handball, with increasing emphasis on youth structures and competitive exposure. As the teams prepare for the continental stage, expectations will be high that they can translate their regional superiority into broader African success. Share this: Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google / 1. 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