Nigeria Green Hawks begin their historic netball journey in Nairobi as the first national team targets a place at the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney.
Nigeria Green Hawks have made history as Nigeria’s first-ever national netball team, with the pioneering squad heading to Nairobi, Kenya, for the 2026 Africa Netball Cup and a chance to secure a place at the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney.
The team, officially known as the Green Hawks, was unveiled by the Nigeria Netball Federation ahead of the tournament, marking a significant moment for a sport that has been working to build a stronger national structure and international presence.
The Africa Netball Cup will take place from September 19 to 26 at the Kasarani Indoor Arena in Nairobi. It doubles as Africa’s regional qualifier for the 2027 Netball World Cup, giving Nigeria an opportunity to make its international debut on one of the continent’s biggest netball stages.
Green Hawks Make Nigerian Netball History
The unveiling of the Green Hawks is more than the announcement of a new squad. It gives Nigerian players a formal pathway to represent the country at senior international level.
Nigeria Netball Federation president, Dr Esther Oluwatoyin Aluko, described the team’s emergence as the beginning of a new chapter for Nigerian sport. She said the federation wants to develop netball from the grassroots through schools, tertiary institutions, communities and other institutions while building a wider pool of players, coaches, umpires and technical officials.
The federation has also made it clear that the Green Hawks are not travelling to Kenya simply to participate.
Aluko said Nigeria wants to compete, earn respect and establish a stronger presence in African and international netball.
That ambition will now be tested against some of Africa’s most experienced netball nations.
Nigeria Green Hawks Face Tough Nairobi Challenge
Nigeria has been drawn in Pool Two alongside hosts Kenya, Uganda, Malawi and Zambia. Pool One contains South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and Tanzania.
The group presents an immediate challenge for a team making its first appearance at this level.
Uganda are among the established powers in African netball, while Malawi and Zambia also have considerable experience in continental competition. Kenya will have the added advantage of playing on home soil.
The Green Hawks are scheduled to begin their campaign against Kenya on September 19, followed by matches against Uganda, Malawi and Zambia. Reports indicate the Nigerian team is expected to arrive in Nairobi on September 18, one day before the competition begins.
Jade Popoola Leads First National Team
Adding another historic chapter to the campaign, Jade Popoola has been named the first captain of the Green Hawks.
Popoola, a former England Under-21 player, brings international experience to the young Nigerian project. She was selected for the England Roses Academy at 17 and later served as England Under-21 vice-captain at Netball Europe in 2023, where the team won gold.
She also has experience from England’s professional Netball Super League, having played for London Pulse and Loughborough Lightning.
Her appointment gives the first Nigerian national team an experienced leader as it enters an unfamiliar international environment.
Green Hawks Complete London Preparations
The squad has been preparing in London ahead of the Nairobi tournament.
According to reports, the players have also gained international exposure through matches against Jamaica, Pakistan and Scotland during their preparations. Head coach Akinrinlola Alison Rosemarie has overseen the team’s preparations, with Olunrebi Olawunmi serving as assistant coach and Oluyinka Lola Ademuwagun as team manager.
The 12-player squad includes Odiri Atirene, Hannah Anyanwu, Ochuko Atirene, Indya Akinrinlola, Sankara Adegboyega, Aramide Ajayi, Oyindamola Olunyolo, Anie Ogberureke, Kelechi Ambros, Jade Popoola, Dumebi Onichabor and Charlotte Seaton.
The players now have the opportunity to turn months of preparation into Nigeria’s first competitive international netball campaign.
World Cup Ticket Awaits in Nairobi
The stakes extend beyond the Africa Netball Cup itself.
The Nairobi tournament is one of five regional qualifiers being used to determine the remaining places at the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney. World Netball announced that 10 of the 16 places at the tournament would be decided through regional qualification, with two teams from each regional qualifier earning invitations. Six nations had already secured qualification through their world rankings.
For Nigeria, that makes the Green Hawks’ debut particularly significant.
A successful campaign would give the country a chance to reach the Netball World Cup at the first attempt while also providing valuable international exposure for the players and technical team.
But regardless of how the Nairobi campaign unfolds, the creation of the Green Hawks has already established a new starting point for Nigerian netball.
The immediate target is a World Cup place. The broader project is to build a sustainable national programme capable of producing more players and creating regular opportunities for Nigerian netballers to compete internationally.
For the Green Hawks, that journey begins in Nairobi.
