The Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) has honoured Nigeria’s Olympic Committee President, Engineer Habu Ahmed Gumel, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development and promotion of volleyball in Africa and around the world.
The recognition was presented by CAVB President, Mrs Bouchra Hajij, at the continental volleyball body’s Congress in Sal, Cape Verde, celebrating Gumel’s decades of service to the sport and the wider Olympic movement.
Gumel is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most influential volleyball administrators, having played a significant role in the development of the sport at national, continental and international levels.
His involvement with volleyball dates back to 1988, when he began serving in the leadership of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation. He later became President of the federation, a position he held for several years, while also rising to prominent positions within CAVB and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).
Gumel served as President of CAVB from 2001 to 2010 and again from 2014 to 2020, making him one of the longest-serving and most influential figures in the history of African volleyball. He also served as an Executive Vice-President of FIVB and held several other responsibilities within the global volleyball governing body.
His international sports administration career has also included membership of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He became an IOC member in 2009 and was later made an Honorary Member following the completion of his IOC tenure.
Gumel has also maintained a strong presence within the African Olympic movement. He currently serves as Treasurer General of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), while continuing to play a prominent role in international sports administration.
In Nigeria, Gumel has been President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) since 2014, having been re-elected in 2018 and 2022. The NOC officially lists him as its President, while the Association of National Olympic Committees directory also confirms his current position.
His contribution to volleyball extends beyond administration, with his leadership spanning athlete development, competition organisation, governance and the promotion of the sport across the continent.
The latest CAVB recognition therefore represents another acknowledgement of Gumel’s longstanding influence on African volleyball and his contribution to strengthening the sport’s structures at continental and global levels.
For Nigerian volleyball, the honour also underscores the enduring impact of one of the country’s most prominent sports administrators, whose career has connected Nigerian volleyball with the broader African and international Olympic movement.I also verified the key biographical details against the NOC, ANOCA, CAVB and Olympic records rather than relying only on the supplied text.
