NBBF maps out multi-stage pathway for Nigeria's U-18 boys ahead of Zone 3 qualifiers

Posted : 22 June 2026

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has unveiled a comprehensive preparation programme for the country's U-18 Boys National Team ahead of the 2026 FIBA Africa U-18 Zone 3 Qualifiers, with a pre-selection camp set to begin in Benin City on June 24.

The 10-day camp, which will run until July 3 at the Indoor Hall of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, marks the first phase of Nigeria's build-up to the continental qualifiers in Burkina Faso.

According to the Chairman of the NBBF Technical Committee, Babs Ogunade, the exercise follows an extensive nationwide scouting process aimed at identifying the country's most promising young basketball talents.

Players invited to the camp will be assessed by Coach Ikima Michael and his technical crew on their technical skills, physical fitness, discipline, and overall readiness for national team duties.

At the end of the exercise, the final squad will be selected to represent Nigeria at the FIBA Africa U-18 Zone 3 Qualifiers scheduled for July 2 to 15 in Burkina Faso.

The federation also outlined an extended preparation roadmap designed to strengthen the team ahead of the FIBA U-18 AfroBasket Championship.

Following the Zone 3 qualifiers, selected home-based players will participate in another training camp from July 16 to 25, while an additional United States Training Camp and Talent Evaluation Programme will take place in Chicago from July 23 to 25 to assess eligible Nigerian players based abroad.

Both the home-based and diaspora players will then converge for a final joint preparation camp in Côte d'Ivoire from July 27 to August 3 before the FIBA U-18 AfroBasket Championship Finals, scheduled for August 3 to 16 in Côte d'Ivoire.

NBBF President Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida said the initiative reflects the federation's long-term commitment to youth development and creating a sustainable pathway for young players to progress into the senior national teams.

He expressed confidence in the quality of emerging talents across the country and said the federation remains focused on building competitive teams capable of excelling on the African stage.

National Teams General Manager Musa Adamu added that the invited players earned their places through their performances during the federation's talent identification exercise, noting that the camp is an important step in strengthening Nigeria's basketball development pipeline.

The federation called on coaches, parents, basketball stakeholders, and fans to support the young athletes as they compete for places in the national team and the opportunity to represent Nigeria internationally.

This structured preparation strategy underscores the NBBF's focus on securing continental success while establishing a firm foundation for the future of Nigerian basketball. Through synchronized local and international scouting, the federation aims to field a formidable squad ready to challenge for the ultimate prize in Côte d'Ivoire.

NBBF maps out multi-stage pathway for Nigeria's U-18 boys ahead of Zone 3 qualifiers

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