Nigeria’s junior men’s basketball squad has booked a place at the 2026 FIBA U18 AfroBasket in Côte d’Ivoire after finishing the FIBA Africa Zone 3 U18 Qualifiers in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, without dropping a game.
The Nigerians won all four of their matches between 4 and 11 July to seal top spot in Zone 3 and earn automatic entry to the finals. The tournament is set to run from 3 to 16 August in Côte d’Ivoire, where they will be joined by the country’s female U18 team, which had already secured its own qualification earlier.
Officials praise Nigeria’s run
Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida said the team’s dominance reflected the wider work done by the federation’s leadership. He stated that the NBBF will continue supporting the “talent production” systems in Nigeria and reiterated that grassroots development remains a central priority.
National Sports Commission (NSC) Director General Hon. Bukola Olopade also commended the players and encouraged them to keep improving. He highlighted the importance of nurturing future stars and stressed that the focus should be on tracking progress and planning for long-term growth.
Private sector backing urged
XEJet Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Ayuba Iza visited the team while they were in Ouagadougou and used the moment to call for stronger private sector investment in Nigerian basketball. He urged corporate organisations to support the federation’s development efforts to help the sport continue building momentum at youth level.
With both the men’s and women’s squads set for Côte d’Ivoire, the NBBF says it is now focused on carrying forward the strong showing from the Zone 3 qualifiers as the AfroBasket finals approach.
