NCF Restructures Women's Cricket Team Coaching Staff

The Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) is set to reshuffle the backroom staff of its national teams, with Theophilus Ibodem appointed as the coach of the senior women's national cricket team, the female Yellow Green. This restructuring is expected to be ratified by the NCF board soon.

Leke Oyed will transition to the men's senior national team, while former Nigeria captain Bless Etim Ajala is anticipated to assist Ibodem. The women's team, which recently secured a bronze medal at the African Games 2023 under Oyed's guidance, is preparing for the NCF T20I Invitational Tournament scheduled for March 18-29, 2026, at the Tafawa Balewa Square Cricket Oval in Lagos.

The tournament will feature five nations, including host Nigeria, and aims to strengthen grassroots participation through youth cricket clinics. The female Yellow Green previously won the tournament in 2023 and will seek to defend their title against teams from Ghana, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and South Africa.