By Aderonke Ojo
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Alhaji Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR has assured Nigeria beach volleyball players of maximum support as they commence preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
CGC Adeniyi gave the assurance on Monday in Abuja when he hosted the Nigerian beach volleyball players, Pamela Bawa and Esther Mbah, who secured the country’s first ticket to the 2028 Olympic Games at the 2026 African Beach Volleyball Nations Championship in Alexandria, Egypt.
Mbah and Bawa clinched the gold medal at the championship to secure the historic qualification.
The Customs boss said their achievement demonstrated that the right motivation, discipline and investment could produce outstanding results.
He urged the players to maintain the determination and desire for success that propelled them to the Olympic qualification, stressing that they must now set their sights on conquering Africa and competing strongly against the world’s best.
“You have shown that it is possible. You beat two African teams to qualify. You have shown that it is possible in big competitions.
“With better coordination, better planning and the most strategic approach, I am sure within the next two years we can break that dominance.
“And those who will do it are people like you. We cannot wait to get you to that moment where you will rule Africa and you will rule the world,” Adeniyi said.
He said the players had nothing more to prove at the domestic level, urging them to concentrate on overcoming the dominance of North African, Arab and East African teams in continental competitions.
Adeniyi also explained that the establishment of the VIPERS team was part of efforts by the Customs Service to identify and develop talented volleyball players capable of competing at the highest level.
According to him, the initiative has paid off, with the team progressing from the National Division One to the Premiership and producing the two players who represented Nigeria at the African Beach Volleyball Championship.
He commended Esther and Pamela for making the most of the platform provided to them, noting that their success had justified the investment in the development of the team.
Adeniyi said he watched some of the players’ matches in Alexandria and was impressed by their performance against strong opposition, particularly their victory over hosts Egypt in the semi-final and Morocco in the final.
He urged them to carry the same determination, preparation and hunger for success to the Olympics.
“I wanted you to take this same determination, this same preparedness and this desire for glory to the Olympics, and you can be sure that we’ll give you all the support that will give you a podium finish during the Olympics in 2028.
“I can promise you that everything that you need to do just that, we will give it to you,” he said.
The Customs boss said preparations for the Olympics must begin immediately, promising to work with the team’s officials to organise exposure tours and matches against strong opponents to toughen the players ahead of the Games.
He said the players would also be studied alongside teams that performed well at previous Olympic Games to identify areas where they could improve and close the gap before Los Angeles 2028.
Adeniyi stressed that Nigeria’s qualification should not be treated as a fluke, urging the players to prove their quality when they compete on the world stage.
“You are going there as African champions and you must be the best that Africa has in that particular competition,” he said.
He also pledged to support the players’ welfare and ensure they have the necessary conditions to prepare adequately for the Olympics.
The historic qualification by Mbah and Bawa marks Nigeria’s first-ever Olympic ticket in beach volleyball and provides the country with an opportunity to make its debut in the event at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
