Unbeaten Nigeria U-18 Boys Secure 2026 AfroBasket Ticket

Nigeria’s Junior Male Basketball Team have qualified for the 2026 FIBA U18 AfroBasket in Côte d’Ivoire after finishing unbeaten at the FIBA Africa Zone 3 U18 Qualifiers in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

The team won all four of their matches between 4 and 11 July to top Zone 3 and secure automatic qualification for the finals, scheduled for 3-16 August in Côte d’Ivoire. They join the Female U18 side, who had earlier secured their own automatic qualification ticket.

Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida credited the team’s dominance to the collective effort of the federation’s board. “The NBBF shall continue to lubricate the fan belts of the talent production factories of the game in Nigeria,” Kida said, adding that the federation’s focus remains on grassroots basketball development.

National Sports Commission (NSC) Director General Hon. Bukola Olopade also praised the players, urging them to keep improving. “You should continue to develop your game. Olumide Oyedeji and Akeem Olajuwon were born already. As we speak, Sarah Ogoke is born already. All we need to do is to monitor their progress and plan for them,” Olopade said.

XEJet Chief Executive Officer  Emmanuel Ayuba Iza visited the team in Ouagadougou and called for greater private sector investment in Nigerian basketball, urging corporate organisations to complement the federation’s development efforts.

With both teams now bound for Côte d’Ivoire, the NBBF says it is working to build on the results set in Ouagadougou ahead of the AfroBasket finals.