Nigeria has announced a 12-man squad for the opening window of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African qualifiers, with D’Tigers set to begin their campaign on Thursday in Tunis.
Head coach Abdulrahman Mohammed confirmed the list ahead of the team’s departure, saying preparations are in full swing as Nigeria gears up for its first Group C game against host nation Tunisia. The group also features Rwanda and Guinea, who Nigeria will face on November 29 and 30.
Former Afrobasket captain Ike Nwamu headlines the squad and returns as one of the team’s leading voices. He brings experience to a group that blends overseas-based players with home-based talent. Guards Stan Okoye and Mike Nuga are also included, while Christopher Obekpa anchors the paint with his trademark defensive presence.
Mohammed has handed spots to three domestic players as part of his plan to combine international exposure with local competitiveness.
The full squad 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 stated that the team is “locked and loaded” for the qualifiers, according to First Zealmediacast, adding that the window offers D’Tigers a chance to reclaim their status after several disappointing campaigns in recent years.
This qualification series will run from November 2025 to March 2027, involving the 16 teams that reached Afrobasket 2025. They are divided into four groups of four and will compete in a double-round-robin format. The top three in each group will reach the second round.
Nigeria, currently ranked eighth in Africa by FIBA, faces a demanding road to the World Cup. In the second phase, the remaining 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six, with their earlier results carried over. Each team will play six more matches. Only the top two from each group and the best third-placed team will secure World Cup tickets to Doha.
D’Tigers head into the Tunis window determined to start strong. Nigeria last featured at the World Cup in 2019 but exited in the first round and failed to qualify for the 2023 tournament hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
