By Ebube Dike

The Head Coach of Nigeria men’s senior volleyball team, Usman Abdallah has included Nigeria Customs Service’s Morris Dikiyai and Matthew Ejeh as well as Nigeria Correctional Services, Dauda Saje in his 12-man squad for the 2021 African Nations Volleyball Championship in Rwanda.

The 2021 African Volleyball Championship will take place in Rwanda from 5th to 20th September.

Emmanuel Okeke, Izuchukwu Nwachukwu, Bruno Ibeh, Philip Akande and Moses Gana have also been handed their first senior call-up following their spectacular performances at the first phase of the Nigeria Volleyball Premier League in Ilorin.

Daniel Nathaniel, Samuel Ogwuche and Afun Idowu are among the regulars included in the squad.

Usman Abdallah said the selection of the team is a combination of experienced and young active players.

The former Nigeria International said the players were selected based on their performance at the Nigeria Volleyball Premier League in Ilorin

Twenty-one countries have confirmed their participation in the forthcoming men and women’s 2021 CAVB Volleyball Nation’s Championships set to be staged in Kigali from September 5-20.

Participating countries include Rwanda, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, DR Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia Kenya and Senegal will compete in Kigali for CAVB Volleyball Nation’s Championships.

Of the countries, 20 will participate in men’s tournament while 15 will be represented in the women’s fray.

Rwanda is among countries that will be represented in both men and women tournaments, alongside Burundi, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Tanzania and Tunisia.

Rwanda was earlier this week confirmed as the Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) as the host nation for this year’s Africa volleyball championship for the first time.

The women’s competition will take place from September 5 to 15, with the men’s tournament running from September 10 to 20.

The Kigali Arena will host all the games.