Coach John Uzor has announced the final team list for Nigeria’s Under-18 women’s handball squad preparing to compete at the 2025 African Women’s Youth Handball Championship in Oran, Algeria. The championship, running from 14 to 21 September, also serves as qualifiers for the 2026 Women’s Youth World Handball Championship and the IHF Women’s Intercontinental Phase.
The team’s preparation has been rigorous at Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, under Uzor and Assistant Coach Bukola Duru. Several players from the squad that won the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase for Africa Zone 3 in Ivory Coast earlier this year made the list. Key players include left back Balikiss Mohammed, pivot Phebe Oluwalade, and Chetachi Ngaodurubie.
Coach Uzor highlighted the team’s task to at least match their performance at the 2023 African Women’s Youth Handball Championship in Monastir, Tunisia, where Nigeria secured third place by defeating three-time champions Angola 28-24, qualifying for the world championship for the first time.
Group A opponents for Nigeria include Angola, Tunisia, Kenya, Benin Republic, and Madagascar, while Group B features hosts Algeria, defending champions Egypt, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Zambia.
The final squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers
Aisha Jamilu (Rima Queens, Sokoto)
Okonkwo Sharon (Edo Dynamos)
Left Backs
Balikiss Mohammed (Soof Omo Ogiefo)
Ngozi Okorie (Soof HBC)
Left Wings
Duru Success (Edo Dynamos)
Chetachi Ngaodurubie (Soof Omo Ogiefo)
Pivots
Phebe Oluwalade (Ekiti Queens)
Veronica Momodu (Ekiti Queens)
Centre Backs
Esther Peter (Rima Queens, Sokoto)
Desola Wasiu (Imo Grasshoppers)
Right Wings
Cynthia Terfa (Defender Babes)
Blessing Igbinidion (Delta Queens)
Right Backs
Faizat Balogun (Imo Grasshoppers)
Salamatu Audu (FUNAD Academy)
