President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Musa Nimrod, has expressed disappointment over the omission of volleyball from the 2026 National Sports Festival tagged the Coal City Games.
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Reacting to the development, Nimrod described the exclusion as a major setback for the growth and development of volleyball in Nigeria.
“The omission of volleyball is disappointing,” Nimrod said.
According to the federation president, the decision comes at a difficult time when the sport is already battling serious financial challenges.
“It is a setback for volleyball development,” he implied.
Despite the disappointment, Nimrod reaffirmed the federation’s commitment to continuing the development of the sport across the country.
“We will continue pushing for the growth of volleyball,” he noted.
The volleyball boss also revealed that funding challenges have severely affected the federation’s ability to organize competitions, coaching clinics, and developmental programmes.
“Funding has remained one of our biggest challenges,” he added.
Nimrod explained that much of the support for volleyball activities has largely come from the Nigeria Customs Service, himself, and members of the federation board.
“Most of the funding has come from personal sacrifices and support from board members,” he stressed.
The National Sports Festival remains one of the biggest multi-sport events in Nigeria and is considered important for athlete development nationwide.
“Events like the Sports Festival help expose and develop talents,” many sports observers believe.
The omission of volleyball has continued generating reactions within the Nigerian sports community.
“There are concerns about the long-term impact on the sport,” supporters continue to say.
For Musa Nimrod, the message is clear.
Volleyball deserves stronger support.
Funding challenges remain serious.
And excluding the sport from major national events could affect its development.
Because sustainable sports growth depends heavily on inclusion, investment, and regular competition opportunities.