Nigeria Names 12-Man Roster as World Cup Qualifiers Begin in Tunisia

Nigeria Names 12-Man Roster as World Cup Qualifiers Begin in Tunisia

By Our Repoy

Nigeria has unveiled a 12-man roster 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, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Head coach Abdulrahman Mohammed confirmed the squad ahead of the team’s departure, as Nigeria prepares to face hosts Tunisia in their first Group C fixture. The group also features Rwanda and Guinea, whom D’Tigers will play on November 29 and 30, respectively.

Former Afrobasket captain Ike Nwamu headlines the team, returning as one of the squad’s most seasoned figures. He is joined by fellow guards Stan Okoye and Mike Nuga, while defensive specialist Christopher Obekpa anchors the frontcourt.

Mohammed has also included three home-based players, reflecting his intention to blend international experience with domestic talent and competitiveness.

Full 12-Man Squad

Olisa Akonobi

Paul Dibal

Chingka Garba

Morris Udeze

Mike Nuga

Ike Nwamu

Christopher Obekpa

Jordan Ogundiran

Augustine Okafor

Stan Okoye

Ugo Simon

Talib Zanna

The Nigeria Basketball Federation said the team is “locked and loaded” for the first qualifying window, adding that the campaign represents a critical opportunity for the country to re-establish its continental stature after inconsistent showings in recent years.

Qualification Format

The African qualifiers will run from November 2025 to March 2027 and will feature the 16 teams that reached Afrobasket 2025. They are split into four groups of four in a double round-robin format, with the top three teams from each group advancing to the second round.

Nigeria, currently ranked eighth in Africa by FIBA, faces a demanding qualification route, with only five African slots available for the 2027 World Cup in Doha.

The second round will merge the 12 remaining teams into two groups of six, with first-round results carried over. Teams will play an additional six matches, after which the top two teams in each group and the best third-placed team will secure World Cup qualification.

D’Tigers will aim to start strongly in Tunis as they look to return to the global stage. Nigeria last appeared at the FIBA World Cup in 2019, exiting in the first round, and failed to qualify for the 2023 edition co-hosted by the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.