Afrobasket: Stakeholders Blame Nigeria’s Basketball Woes on Poor Governance, Funding Gaps

Stakeholders have attributed Nigeria’s poor performance at the 2025 FIBA Men’s Afrobasket Championship in Angola to years of administrative instability, inadequate funding, and the absence of a professional domestic league.

Nigeria’s D’Tigers crashed out in the quarter-finals after a 91–75 loss to Senegal in Luanda, finishing fifth in the tournament and raising fresh concerns about the state of the sport.

Reacting, basketball promoter and founder of the Mark D’Ball Championship, Igoche Mark, described the situation as “deeply troubling,” blaming poor leadership and policy inconsistency.

“Enough is enough. Since 2017, we have not had a functional domestic league. Basketball in Nigeria has no structure, no direction. The time for politics is over—basketball must return to the courts, not the courtrooms,” he said, urging the National Sports Commission to step in.

Former D’Tigers captain, Olumide Oyedeji, echoed similar concerns, stressing that the absence of a viable league has weakened Nigeria’s competitiveness.

“No country can succeed at the top without grassroots development and a strong domestic league. We are only recycling talent, not producing new stars,” he said.

Analysts also pointed to long-running leadership tussles within the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and decaying infrastructure as major setbacks.

“Our basketball system is outdated. While countries like South Sudan, Rwanda, and Cape Verde are investing in their leagues and reaping rewards, Nigeria remains stuck in crisis mode,” said sports consultant Tunde Popoola.

Once a dominant force and 2015 Afrobasket champions, Nigeria now risks losing its competitive edge as players continue to switch allegiance to other countries. Fans and former players have since taken to social media to demand accountability and reforms.

Stakeholders agree that only a clear roadmap backed by competent leadership, stronger policies, and sustainable funding can revive Nigerian basketball.