BY AKINDOYIN OLATAYO EMMANUEL
The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has unveiled an extensive preparation programme for the country’s U18 Boys’ and Girls’ National Teams as it intensifies efforts toward a strong showing at the 2026 FIBA Africa U18 Championships.
The schedule underscores the Federation’s commitment to identifying, nurturing, and developing young basketball talents from across Nigeria and the diaspora, while providing a structured pathway for future national team stars.
According to the approved programme, preparations will begin with simultaneous national tryouts in Benin City, Lagos, and Abuja on June 6 and 7, 2026. The exercise will offer talented young players from across the country an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and compete for places in the national team setup.
Following the tryouts, the U18 Boys’ National Team will enter a local training camp from June 19 to July 2, 2026, in preparation for the FIBA U18 Zone 3 Qualifiers scheduled to hold in Burkina Faso from July 4 to 12, 2026. The team representing Nigeria at the qualifiers will comprise exclusively home-based players.
As preparations continue, selected local players from both the boys’ and girls’ programmes will participate in an intensive training camp from July 19 to 26, 2026, aimed at sharpening their skills ahead of the continental tournament.
In furtherance of its commitment to engaging Nigerian talents abroad, the NBBF will also organize a United States-based training and evaluation camp in Chicago from July 24 to 26, 2026. The camp will provide eligible Nigeria-heritage players in the diaspora with an opportunity to compete for places on the final roster while strengthening ties between the Federation and its growing pool of international talent.
The final stage of preparation will take place in Côte d’Ivoire, where selected players from both Nigeria and the diaspora will converge from July 27 to August 2, 2026, for a joint integration and training camp. The programme will focus on team bonding, tactical drills, and final roster preparations ahead of the championship.
Nigeria’s U18 Boys’ and Girls’ teams will subsequently compete at the FIBA U18 Afrobasket Finals, scheduled to take place in Côte d’Ivoire from August 3 to 16, 2026.
Speaking on the significance of the initiative, NBBF President, Ahmadu Musa Kida, reaffirmed the Federation’s dedication to youth development and long-term national team growth.
“The future of Nigerian basketball lies in the development of our young athletes. This programme is designed to identify talent across Nigeria, provide opportunities for our diaspora players, and ensure our teams receive the preparation necessary to compete successfully on the continental stage,” Kida said.
“The addition of Benin City to our tryout locations further demonstrates our commitment to expanding access and discovering talent from every part of the country.”
The Federation stated that the programme is designed to expand grassroots talent identification nationwide, create opportunities for internationally based Nigerian players, ensure comprehensive evaluation and preparation of both national teams, foster team chemistry and cohesion, and strengthen Nigeria’s long-term youth development pathway.
It also aims to provide adequate preparation for both the Zone 3 Qualifiers and the FIBA U18 Afrobasket Finals as Nigeria seeks to maintain its reputation as one of Africa’s leading basketball nations.