Nigeria's youth (U18) and junior (U20) national teams each claimed the title at the Men's IHF Trophy Africa – Zone 3, concluding the competition with an unbeaten record. The tournament, which was held in Togo from 7 to 11 April, featured seven teams in both the youth and junior categories respectively.

In each competition, the seven participating teams were distributed across two groups - one comprising three teams and one comprising four teams. Upon conclusion of the preliminary round, the top two sides from each group advanced to the semi-finals.

In the junior (U20) competition, Nigeria were drawn into Group B, where they dominated against Burkina Faso (23:18) and Cote d’Ivoire (28:10), thanks to a fantastic defensive performance, where they averaged only 14 goals conceded per match.

In Group A, the battle was tougher, with each of the participating teams taking at least one win. Benin started the competition with a 25:27 loss against Niger, but bounced back with a 47:31 win over hosts Togo and a crucial 40:37 win over Ghana, which decided the group winners.

Ghana finished second, after winning against Togo (45:34) and Niger (32:20), but falling against the eventual group winners, as Noudéhouénou Raphaël Bomaditohou scored 10 goals for Benin, while Razack Yamassare added seven goals for the winning side.

The semi-finals were even more tighthly contested, as Ghana led throughout the first half against Nigeria, only for the champions to bounce back and take a 11:10 lead into the break. Mustapha Mohammed scored six goals in the match, as Nigeria powered to a 21:19 win, after scoring the last two goals and clinching the finals berth.

There, Benin were waiting, after a convincing 40:26 win against Burkina Faso, but Nigeria produced their best attacking performance, as they clearly held the fort against Benin in the decider.

Mustapha Isyaka scored nine goals, with Sani Suleiman adding seven goals, as Nigeria emerged victorious, 39:29, after using two 3:0 unanswered runs in the second half to clinch the title. In the bronze medal match, Ghana secured a 34:25 win over Burkina Faso to finish on the podium.

Benin’s Noudéhouénou Raphaël Bomaditohou was the top scorer of the competition, with 41 goals, followed by Ghana’s Pius Komasi, with 33 goals and Togo’s Ousmane Saibou, with 30 goals.

Men's IHF Trophy Africa – Zone 3 – junior competition, final standings

1. Nigeria
2. Benin
3. Ghana
4. Burkina Faso, 5. Cote d’Ivoire, 6. Togo, 7. Niger

The youth (U18) competition had the same outcome, with Nigeria dominating even clearer between the seven participating teams, which have been divided into two groups, with one group of three teams and another of four sides.

First, Nigeria dominated Burkina Faso, in Group B’s first match, 48:22, following up with yet another fantastic display against Niger, 30:19. In the last match, Nigeria dominated Benin, 41:19, becoming the team with the largest number of goals scored and the lowest number of goals conceded in the group.

The battle for the second place in the group was balanced, with Niger drawing against Benin (23:23), before taking a clear 38:26 win against Burkina Faso, to finish second and make it to the semi-finals.

Group A was arguably more balanced, but Cote d’Ivoire were the winners, after a 32:27 win against Ghana, where Ibrahim Savane scored 11 goals, and a 30:25 win over hosts Togo, where Ali Soumahoro and Ali Soumahoro each scored eight goals.

Ghana finished second in the group, but they were clearly eliminated in the semi-finals by Nigeria, with a 42:22 win by Nigeria, while Cote d’Ivoire also made it to the last act, with a 30:24 win over Niger.

The final was all about Nigeria, which had 11 different players score at least one goal, with Micheal Godstime scoring eight in their 32:19 win, another clear victory for Nigeria.

Niger mounted a spirited comeback in the bronze medal match, as Imran Bassirou Abasse scored his 11th goal of the match against Ghana at the buzzer, to provide his team with the win, 28:27.

Men's IHF Trophy Africa – Zone 3 – youth competition, final standings

1. Nigeria
2. Cote d’Ivoire 
3. Niger 
4. Ghana, 5. Burkina Faso, 6. Togo, 7. Benin