The National Sports Commission (NSC) has commended Nigeria’s U-18 men’s basketball team, the Junior D’Tigers, after they secured qualification for the 2026 FIBA U-18 AfroBasket Championship with an unbeaten run at the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Qualifiers in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Nigeria produced a dominant display throughout the qualifiers to emerge Zone 3 champions, winning all four of their matches and securing an automatic place at the continental championship scheduled to take place in Ivory Coast from 3 to 16 August 2026.
The qualification means Nigeria will be represented by both its male and female U-18 teams at the tournament, following the earlier success of the women’s team in booking its place.
The Junior D’Tigers sealed their qualification with a convincing 100-54 victory over hosts Burkina Faso on Saturday. The result followed earlier wins against Benin (96-35 and 101-43) and Burkina Faso (98-54) in the three-team qualifying competition.
Liberia had initially been scheduled to participate but withdrew before the start of the tournament, leaving Nigeria, Benin and Burkina Faso to compete for the available qualification spot.
Reacting to the team’s achievement, Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, congratulated the players for their impressive performances and encouraged them to continue developing their skills.
“You should continue to develop your game. Olumide Oyedeji and Hakeem 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.
Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President, Musa Kida, also praised the team’s commanding performances, crediting the achievement to the collective efforts of the federation’s board and its continued focus on grassroots development.
“The NBBF shall continue to lubricate the fan belts of the talent production factories of the game in Nigeria. Our focus remains on improving Nigeria’s growing global status, with greater emphasis on grassroots basketball development,” Kida said.
Nigeria will now turn its attention to the 2026 FIBA U-18 AfroBasket Championship in Ivory Coast, where the team will aim to build on its impressive qualifying campaign and compete for continental honours.
