National Division One Handball League begins Feb 25 in Benin City

Twenty male and 10 female teams are expected to take part in the National Division One Handball League between February 25 and March 6 in Benin City, Edo State.

The league, a second tier competition, is a promotional championship to the top-flight Prudent Energy Handball Premier being sponsored by the Edo State government.

According to a statement by the Handball Federation of Nigeria’s (HFN) Secretary General, Alhaji Maigidansanma Mohammed, the executive board of HFN, led by Sam Ocheho, the federation’s president, in a virtual meeting at the weekend, agreed to the date after receiving the go-ahead from representatives of the Edo State government and the state’s handball association.

“The Executive Board of the Handball Federation of Nigeria led by Sam Ocheho had a meeting virtually (during the weekend) wherein they fixed the date for the National Division One Handball League after getting the mandate from the Edo State government,” the statement stated.

Meanwhile, winners of the male and female categories will automatically receive promotional ticket to be part of the elite Prudent Energy Handball Premier holding later this year.

Recall that the 2021 League, which was initially scheduled to hold in November last year, was pushed forward after Edo State government had requested for more time to prepare for the challenge.