The new head coach of Nigeria’s national men’s cricket team and High Performance Manager of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Stephen Mangongo, has invited 35 players to a 14-day training camp ahead of the 2026 Namibia Tri-Series.
Mangongo, who was officially unveiled last Wednesday on a three-year contract, will lead the Yellow Greens for the first time in an international assignment scheduled for June 18 to 29 in Windhoek, Namibia.
The Zimbabwean coach will work alongside a technical crew that includes former Female Yellow Greens head coach Leke Oyede and fitness trainer Seye Olympio as preparations intensify for the tournament at the FNB Namibia Cricket Ground.
The 35-man squad was selected from the recently concluded Nigeria Super League, blending experienced players with emerging talents in what is seen as a transitional team-building phase.
Key regulars in the squad include captain Sylvester Okpe, Isaac Danladi, Sulaimon Runsewe, Kenneth Boniface, Prosper Useni, Ridwan Kareem, Rahmon Ali, Peter Aho, Saturday Elijah, and several others who have featured prominently in recent national assignments.
The group of new invitees includes promising domestic performers such as Chima Akachukwu, Eghosa Aghedo, Elochukwu Ndubudem, Eweka Ogbemudia, Gideon Durotoye, Ifeanyi Uboh, and Ismail Abdullahi, all rewarded for strong performances in the Super League.
The squad is expected to be reduced to 16 players before the tournament begins, where Nigeria will compete in T20 Internationals against Namibia and Hong Kong, China, before facing the hosts in a three-match One-Day International series.
The Tri-Series is seen as an important opportunity for Nigeria to test depth, build consistency, and strengthen its competitiveness on the international cricket stage under its new coaching leadership.
