The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has invited 36 players to the national preparatory camp ahead of the 2026 FIBA U18 AfroBasket Championship in Côte d’Ivoire, Trybal News reports.
The camp, which opens on Tuesday, July 28, at the Athletes High Performance Centre inside the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, will feature 15 players in the Junior D’Tigers squad and 21 in the Junior D’Tigress camp as they compete for places in Nigeria’s final travelling teams.
The Junior D’Tigers will be coached by Michael Ikima, while Peter Akindele takes charge of the Junior D’Tigress. Both teams will prepare for the continental championship scheduled to take place in Abidjan from August 4 to 15.
According to the federation, selection for the final squads will be based strictly on performances during the camping exercise.
Nigeria’s Junior D’Tigers secured qualification for the tournament after an impressive unbeaten run at the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Qualifiers in Burkina Faso, where they won all four of their matches to emerge champions. The Junior D’Tigress qualified automatically for this year’s competition.
In a significant boost to the teams’ preparations, the NBBF also announced XEJet as the Official Travel Partner for both national U18 teams. The airline has provided a dedicated charter aircraft to transport the Junior D’Tigers and Junior D’Tigress to Abidjan and back after the championship.
NBBF President Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida praised XEJet for its continued support, describing reliable travel arrangements as a key factor in the teams’ chances of success.
Getting our players to a competition rested, together and on schedule is not a luxury; it is the difference between competing and merely attending. XEJet flew our boys to Ouagadougou and back, and they will fly both teams to Abidjan and home again. On behalf of the Federation, we thank them,” Kida said.
Speaking on behalf of XEJet, Mr. Iza urged more Nigerian businesses to invest in youth sports, stressing that logistical support can help bridge the gap between local talent and international success.
When I visited the boys in Ouagadougou, what struck me was how much talent this country produces and how little stands between that talent and the world stage, often just logistics. That is a problem business can solve. We are proud to carry both teams to Abidjan, and I would like to see many more Nigerian companies decide that our young athletes are worth investing in,” he said.
Nigeria will compete against some of Africa’s top youth basketball nations at the championship, including hosts Côte d’Ivoire and defending champions Mali, as both the Junior D’Tigers and Junior D’Tigress seek continental glory.
