The Nigeria Cricket Federation on Wednesday unveiled Stephen Mangongo as the new head coach and high-performance manager of the national team.

The unveiling of the new coach was held at the Cricket Lab, TBS Cricket Oval, Lagos.

The event was attended by board members, stakeholders, former internationals, players, media representatives and cricket supporters.

President of the federation, Uyi Akpata, described the appointment as a major step in the federation’s long-term plan to improve performance and develop cricket in the country.

“This appointment is an important step in our long-term vision for high performance and the continued growth of cricket in Nigeria,” he said.

Mr Akpata said the federation had continued to invest in grassroots development, coaching, player development and facilities to strengthen cricket structures in the country.

“We have made steady progress over the years, and our development programmes are gaining recognition internationally.

“We are confident that Mangongo’s appointment will strengthen Nigeria’s high-performance system and further support the growth of cricket in the country,” he added.

According to him, 44 applicants from different parts of the cricket world applied for the position, while the federation’s technical committee unanimously recommended Mr Mangongo for the role.

Mr Mangongo has coached Zimbabwe Under-19, Zimbabwe A and the senior national team.

One of his major achievements was leading Zimbabwe to a historic victory over Australia in a 2014 tri-series competition.

He has also worked at several ICC tournaments and contributed to the development of top Zimbabwean players, including Hamilton Masakadza and Tatenda Taibu.

Speaking at the event, Mr Mangongo thanked the federation for the opportunity and described the appointment as an honour and a huge responsibility.

“I am grateful to the Nigeria Cricket Federation for the confidence shown in me. It is an honour to take on this role,” he said.

Mr Mangongo commended Nigeria’s cricket structure, particularly its investment in grassroots programmes and player development.

“Nigeria already has a very strong structure in place. The investment in young players and development is impressive.

“My previous experience with Nigeria’s women’s team convinced him that the country had enormous cricket potential.

“The discipline, passion and willingness of Nigerian players to improve show that the country has great potential,” he said.

Mr Mangongo said Nigeria was building one of the strongest cricket development systems in Africa and had the potential to become a major force on the continent.

He added that qualification for future ICC World Cups would remain one of his major targets.

“One of our key goals is to qualify for future ICC World Cups, and we will work hard to achieve that through consistency and professionalism,” he added.

The event also featured the signing of appointment documents and stakeholder interactions.

(NAN)