2027 FIBA World Cup African Qualifiers: Nigeria unveils 12-man squad

Nigeria has officially named a 12-man squad for the first window of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African qualifiers, with D’Tigers set to open their campaign against hosts Tunisia on Thursday in Tunis.

Coach Abdulrahman Mohammed confirmed the roster ahead of departure, outlining a squad that balances experience and youthful energy.

Former Afrobasket captain Ike Nwamu leads the group as one of the most seasoned figures, joined by guards Stan Okoye and Mike Nuga, while defensive stalwart Christopher Obekpa anchors the frontcourt.

The squad also features three home-based players, reflecting Mohammed’s strategy of blending overseas expertise with local talent and hunger for competition.

The full 12-man roster includes Olisa Akonobi, Paul Dibal, Chingka Garba, Morris Udeze, Mike Nuga, Ike Nwamu, Christopher Obekpa, Jordan Ogundiran, Augustine Okafor, Stan Okoye, Ugo Simon, and Talib Zanna.

The Nigeria Basketball Federation described the team as “locked and loaded” for the opening window, highlighting the importance of the qualifiers as a chance to reassert Nigeria’s dominance on the African stage after several inconsistent campaigns.

The African qualifiers, running from November 2025 to March 2027, feature 16 teams that advanced from Afrobasket 2025.
Teams are divided into four groups of four in a double round-robin format, with the top three from each group advancing to the second round. Nigeria, currently eighth on FIBA’s African power rankings, faces a challenging pathway as only five African teams will ultimately secure World Cup spots in Doha.

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In the second phase, 12 teams will be regrouped into two pools of six, carrying over all first-round results. Each team will play six additional matches, with only the top two from each group plus the best third-placed team qualifying for the World Cup.

Nigeria begins its journey in Tunis against Tunisia on Thursday, with Group C also featuring Rwanda and Guinea.

The team aims to lay a strong foundation for a campaign that could finally see D’Tigers return to the global stage.

Nigeria last reached the FIBA World Cup finals in 2019 but failed to qualify for the 2023 edition co-hosted by the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.