Nigeria’s U-18 women’s handball team will jet out of the country today (Thursday) ahead of the 2025 African Women’s Youth Handball Championship, scheduled to hold in Oran, Algeria, from September 14 to 21.

The squad, which has been in camp at Rowe Park Sports Centre in Yaba, Lagos, will be led by head coach John Uzor, as they target a podium finish and a ticket to next year’s World Championship.

Coach Uzor expressed confidence in his side’s chances to be amongst the five teams that will get a spot at the World Cup.

The 2025 edition will feature 11 teams, divided into two groups. Nigeria will compete in Group A alongside Angola, Tunisia, Kenya, Benin Republic, and Madagascar, while hosts Algeria are drawn in Group B with defending champions Egypt, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Zambia.

Matches will be played across two venues in Oran, the 7,000 capacity Miloud Hadefi Complex Arena and the 5,000-seater Hamou Boutlelis Sports Palace.

Nigeria heads into the tournament with a strong pedigree, having clinched bronze at the 2023 edition in Monastir, Tunisia, where they edged three-time champions Angola 28–24 in the third-place playoff.

This year’s championship will also double as qualifiers for the 2026 Women’s Youth World Handball Championship and the IHF Women’s Intercontinental Phase.