Nigeria has strengthened its growing reputation as one of Africa’s premier sporting destinations after securing the hosting rights for the 2027 Africa Beach Volleyball Championship, with the tournament set to take place in Lagos.

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The announcement was made by President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), Mustapha Berraf, who praised Nigeria’s renewed commitment to sports development under the leadership of National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade.

The latest hosting success comes just weeks after Nigeria was awarded the rights to stage the second edition of the African School Games in 2027, further highlighting the country’s ambition to become a hub for major international sporting events.

“Nigeria has shown clear signs of emerging as Africa’s leading sporting nation. That is why ANOCA had no hesitation in awarding the country the hosting rights for the 2027 Africa Beach Volleyball Championship,” Berraf said.

The ANOCA President also commended the Federal Government for its increasing investment in sports, recalling how Nigeria successfully stepped in at short notice to host the 2024 CAA African U-18/U-20 Athletics Championships in Abeokuta after another host nation withdrew.

According to Berraf, Nigeria’s ability to organise a continental championship within just three months demonstrated the country’s growing capacity to host world-class sporting events.

NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko described the hosting rights as another important milestone in the Commission’s long-term strategy to grow Nigeria’s sports economy through international events.

“One of our key objectives is to strengthen Nigeria’s sports economy, and attracting major international competitions is an important part of that strategy,” Dikko said.

Director General Bukola Olopade also credited the recent successes to the Federal Government’s support for sports development, adding that discussions are already at an advanced stage for Nigeria to host Africa’s Olympic qualification events ahead of the 2030 Olympic Games.

If approved, the Olympic qualifiers would allow African athletes to compete for qualification spots on home soil, reducing the need for countries across the continent to travel to Europe and other regions for qualification events.