The new head coach of Nigeria’s national men’s cricket team and High Performance Manager of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Stephen Mangongo, has invited 35 players to a 14-day training camp ahead of the 2026 Namibia Tri-Series.

Mangongo, who was officially unveiled last Wednesday on a three-year contract, will lead the Yellow Greens for the first time in an international assignment scheduled for June 18 to 29 in Windhoek, Namibia.

The Zimbabwean coach will work alongside a technical crew that includes former Female Yellow Greens head coach Leke Oyede and fitness trainer Seye Olympio as preparations intensify for the tournament at the FNB Namibia Cricket Ground.

The 35-man squad was selected from the recently concluded Nigeria Super League, blending experienced players with emerging talents in what is seen as a transitional team-building phase.

Key regulars in the squad include captain Sylvester Okpe, Isaac Danladi, Sulaimon Runsewe, Kenneth Boniface, Prosper Useni, Ridwan Kareem, Rahmon Ali, Peter Aho, Saturday Elijah, and several others who have featured prominently in recent national assignments.

The group of new invitees includes promising domestic performers such as Chima Akachukwu, Eghosa Aghedo, Elochukwu Ndubudem, Eweka Ogbemudia, Gideon Durotoye, Ifeanyi Uboh, and Ismail Abdullahi, all rewarded for strong performances in the Super League.

The squad is expected to be reduced to 16 players before the tournament begins, where Nigeria will compete in T20 Internationals against Namibia and Hong Kong, China, before facing the hosts in a three-match One-Day International series.

The Tri-Series is seen as an important opportunity for Nigeria to test depth, build consistency, and strengthen its competitiveness on the international cricket stage under its new coaching leadership.

Four Nigerian wrestlers have arrived in Mongolia ahead of the 2026 World Wrestling 3rd Ranking Series, as the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) intensifies efforts to improve the country’s global standing in the sport.

The contingent departed Nigeria on Monday night aboard Turkish Airlines for the competition, which is expected to attract top wrestling nations competing for crucial ranking points ahead of major international championships.

The athletes include Genesis Mercy Miesinnei (50kg), Ogunsanya Christianah Tolulope (53kg), Kolawole Esther Omolayo (62kg), and Ojo Damola Hannah (76kg), all of whom will represent Nigeria in their respective weight categories.

The team is being led by women’s wrestling coach and NWF Technical Committee Chairman, Akuh Purity, who commended the federation’s leadership for ensuring smooth logistics and full support for the athletes’ participation.

He expressed appreciation to the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for what he described as consistent commitment to athlete welfare and international competition exposure.

According to him, the wrestlers are in Mongolia primarily to secure ranking points that will improve their global standings and enhance their seedings ahead of upcoming World Championships.

Nigeria’s participation in the ranking series is part of a broader strategy to strengthen its competitiveness in women’s wrestling and maintain consistent presence on the international stage.

The federation hopes the athletes will build on recent progress and deliver strong performances against elite global opponents in the tournament.

Nigeria has boosted its medal tally at the 2026 African Taekwondo Championships in Bamako, Mali, after securing three gold medals alongside one silver and three bronze at the World Taekwondo-sanctioned G-4 tournament.

The competition, held at the Palais des Sports Salamatou Maiga, has seen Nigeria’s total medal count rise to seven across various categories, with strong performances in both Kyorugi and Poomsae events.

Aderibigbe Faridah delivered one of the standout performances, winning gold in the Freestyle Poomsae category. She also partnered with Salawudeen Abdulafeez to claim silver in the Pair Poomsae event, further strengthening Nigeria’s presence in the discipline.

Earlier success came from Haruna Usman, who secured gold in the Poomsae U-40 Male category, while Para-Taekwondo athlete Mathew Udom opened Nigeria’s gold medal account with a dominant display in the -57kg Kyorugi division.

Nigeria also added three bronze medals through Joel Jordan in the men’s +87kg Kyorugi category, Chidinma Okoko in the women’s -62kg division, and Salawudeen Abdulafeez in the Poomsae U-30 Male event.

Despite Nigeria’s strong showing, Morocco emerged dominant in the Kyorugi events, sweeping eight gold medals to finish as overall champions of the competition.

The President of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, Tayo Popoola, praised the athletes’ performance and encouraged them to maintain momentum as the tournament progressed.

“I know you can do it, so I need some more,” she said, expressing confidence that the team could further improve its standing on the medal table.

Nigeria’s latest success underscores its growing competitiveness in African taekwondo, particularly in Poomsae events, where athletes continue to deliver podium finishes at continental level.