Nigeria’s Green Hawks will turn their attention to Zambia on Tuesday as the country’s first-ever national netball team continues its historic campaign at the Africa Netball Cup and 2027 Netball World Cup African Qualifiers in Nairobi, Kenya.

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The encounter presents Nigeria with another opportunity to measure its progress after a demanding welcome to international netball against three established African sides.

Nigeria began the competition with a 61–40 defeat to hosts Kenya before facing world number six Uganda, who recorded a 68–30 victory.

The Green Hawks then suffered an 82–22 loss to Malawi on Monday, leaving the Nigerian side still searching for its first victory of the tournament.

Against Malawi, Nigeria trailed 21–6 after the opening quarter before the gap widened to 40–11 at half-time.

Malawi eventually completed the contest with a 60-goal advantage and, in the process, strengthened their World Cup qualification campaign.

For Nigeria, however, the tournament represents more than immediate results.

The Green Hawks are competing internationally for the first time, with the Nairobi tournament providing the players with their first sustained exposure to some of Africa’s leading netball nations.

Nigeria’s next opponents, Zambia, therefore offer another test of how quickly the newly assembled side can adjust to competition at continental level.

With matches against Kenya, Uganda and Malawi now behind them, Tuesday’s encounter provides the Green Hawks with another opportunity to translate the experience gained from those difficult fixtures into an improved performance.

The Africa Netball Cup and World Cup African Qualifiers continue in Nairobi until September 26.

Nigeria Rugby Football Federation President Dr. Ademola Aré has warned rugby clubs and stakeholders against operating outside recognised state association structures, insisting that continued disregard for established administration could slow the development of the sport in Nigeria.

Aré issued the warning following complaints from sports directors and commissioners in some states about clubs carrying out activities without working with their respective state rugby associations.

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For the NRFF president, clubs seeking national recognition must first establish a functional relationship with the structures responsible for rugby within their states.

“To get into the national federation, you need to align with state associations,” Aré said.

“Unfortunately, some club owners are not doing this, yet they want to travel abroad to represent the country.”

Aré believes such practices create unnecessary conflict between clubs, state associations, sports councils and the national federation.

“They keep forgetting the basic things, which makes them work at cross purposes with the federation, and it is rugby that suffers,” he added.

The warning comes as the NRFF pushes to expand rugby at grassroots level and strengthen its presence within Nigeria’s national sporting structures. The federation has also recently invested in training coaches, referees and medical personnel, with Aré urging those beneficiaries to work closely with their state associations and communities.

Aré said cooperation at state level could also strengthen the federation’s attempts to secure greater recognition for rugby in national competitions.

“If they did, it would be easier for the sport to gain wider acceptance, and we would not need to fight every time for recognition,” he said.

The NRFF president went further, saying clubs seeking to travel internationally should obtain clearance from their state association and the national federation.

“Enough of this disregard for constituted authority,” Aré declared. “All stakeholders must respect the structures put in place for the proper administration and development of rugby in Nigeria.”

With Nigeria targeting continued international growth and ultimately an Olympic pathway, Aré’s message is that progress on the field must be matched by stronger organisation off it.