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Nigeria’s D’Tigers team photo with coaches

Sports played in Nigeria

Basketball in Nigeria

Home of D’Tigers and D’Tigress, the Premier League and some of the greatest players ever to come from Africa.

Basketball in Nigeria

A favourite sport in schools, clubs and states

Basketball is one of the Nigerian favourite sports played by most schools and clubs in many states of Nigeria, although not as popular as soccer. Basketball in Nigeria has a lot of potentials that can produce some of world top players if the right things are put in place.

Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) is focused to help the growth of the game in Nigeria as other big teams in the world would come to Nigeria for the event. The federation was working closely with the sponsors of the league to get the best out of the player.

Men and women basketball league in Nigeria is also well organized in terms of league performance and schedules, although not comparable to what can be obtained in the United States of America. Nigeria basketball league is divided into National Division 1 and division 2 leagues.

Nigeria has produced numerous basketball players of which the most well-known ones are Hakeem Olajuwon (Formerly played for Houston Rockets) and also Emeka Okafor who also played in the NBA.

D’Tigress players on the bench during a game
D’Tigress, Nigeria’s women’s national team

Nigeria on the international stage

The Nigerian national basketball team is managed by the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF). It is mostly considered to be one of the best national basketball teams in the FIBA Africa zone; along with Angola and Senegal.

In the FIBA World Ranking, Nigeria was ranked 16th after the 2016 Olympic Men’s Basketball Tournament in Rio which made them the top climber in FIBA rankings from the previous year; as of September 2026 they are ranked 52nd. They are the only African nation to qualify for the Summer Olympics through the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament; which was accomplished at the 2012 Event when Nigeria beat the world elite teams of Lithuania and Greece. The Nigeria teams emerge the winner of basketball champion of Africa.

Nigeria has also participated in various championships and tournaments in the area of basketball sports, some of the competitions include but is not limited to;

  • The 2006 FIBA World Championship was held in Japan where Nigeria was placed in Group A with 5 others being Venezuela, Argentina, Serbia and Montenegro, Lebanon and France. The Nigerian national basketball team performed very well; at the end of the tournament, the team finished in the 14th place.
  • The 2012 Summer Olympics was held in London where Nigeria completed the group play with a 1-4 record, including a 60-56 victory over Tunisia. This was the first Olympic game for the Nigerian national basketball team and it marked the team’s first-ever Olympic victory.
  • The Nigerian team at 2012 Summer Olympic Games -held in London -competed with 12 teams and finished in the 10th place.
  • The Nigerian team at 2011 African Championship competed with 16 teams and finished in the 3rd place.
  • The Nigerian team at 2009 African Championship competed with 16 teams and finished in the 5th place.
  • Nigeria has won several medals at the All-Africa Games and placed 4th in the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
  • Nigeria won a trophy for Winner Afrobasket 2015.
  • They also won a bronze medal at Madagascar 2011.
Nigeria’s players line up with their medals
Team Nigeria on the podium

In this section

Explore basketball in Nigeria

Basketball academies in Nigeria

This is a basketball institution developed by the government or individual to help teach the game of basketball to aspiring individuals that want to join the basketball team through private lessons. It’s been designed to help youth develop in the aspect of basketball game and progress in the game of basketball.

The focus of the Academy is to give learners the chance to put in more effort on improving their overall basketball skills. Some of the basketball academies in Nigeria include;

  • Rookies Basketball Academy, Police College Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, +234 809 350 1457
  • Gordon Basketball Academy, Victoria Garden City, Recreational Park, Lagos, Nigeria
  • Titans Basketball Academy, Plot M16, 21 Road CD Close, Festac Town, Lagos Nigeria, 0802 825 6151, and more.

Benefits of basketball

Basketball just like any other games or sports activities is more than just a sport, there are lots of health benefits that anyone can derive when he/she is engaged in this kind of sports activities which is not limited to;

  • Basketball helps to keep your heart healthy because your heart rate increases as you move; which helps in reducing the risk of stroke and heart diseases later in life.
  • It also helps in building the bones strength; thereby making the bone strong.
  • It can also reduce stress and gives more energy to the body and boost the immune system. Playing provides full body workout and makes legs stronger.
  • Basketball is a mind game that requires total focus and helps to boost mental development.
  • The rules and regulations in this game that can lead to penalty can also help in developing one’s self-discipline which encourages one to be fair and competitive at the same time.
Nigerian players celebrating together

Statistics · Checked 29 September 2026

Nigerian basketball in numbers

Full statistics on the team page

  • 7

    Women’s AfroBasket titles

    D’Tigress, five in a row from 2017 to 2025

  • 1

    Men’s AfroBasket title

    D’Tigers, 2015, beating Angola 74-65

  • 8th

    D’Tigress world ranking

    FIBA women’s ranking, September 2026

  • QF

    Paris 2024

    D’Tigress, first African team in an Olympic basketball quarter-final

  • 3

    D’Tigers Olympic Games

    London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020

  • 7

    Rivers Hoopers league titles

    2026 champions, level with Kano Pillars

  • 3,830

    Olajuwon career blocks

    Still the NBA all-time record

  • 2

    NBA titles for Olajuwon

    Houston Rockets, 1994 and 1995

Quick answers

Basketball in Nigeria: facts and figures

Is basketball popular in Nigeria?

Yes. Basketball is played in schools, universities and clubs across Nigeria and is widely seen as the country’s second most popular team sport after football. Nigeria’s national teams are among Africa’s best: the women’s team, D’Tigress, has won 7 Women’s AfroBasket titles and the men’s team, D’Tigers, won AfroBasket in 2015.

How many AfroBasket titles has Nigeria won?

Eight in total. D’Tigress have won the Women’s AfroBasket 7 times (2003, 2005, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025), including a record five in a row. D’Tigers won the men’s AfroBasket once, in 2015, beating Angola 74-65 in the final.

What is Nigeria’s FIBA world ranking?

In September 2026 D’Tigress were ranked 8th in the world, the best of any African women’s team, and D’Tigers were ranked 52nd in the world (1 September 2026 men’s ranking).

Who is the best Nigerian basketball player of all time?

Hakeem Olajuwon, born in Lagos in 1963, is widely regarded as the greatest. He won two NBA titles with the Houston Rockets (1994 and 1995), was the 1994 NBA MVP and remains the NBA’s all-time leader in blocked shots with 3,830.

Who coaches Nigeria’s basketball teams?

David Fizdale, a former Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks head coach, was appointed D’Tigers head coach on 9 May 2026. Rena Wakama has coached D’Tigress since 2023 and led them to AfroBasket titles in 2023 and 2025.

Which club won the 2026 Nigerian basketball league?

Rivers Hoopers won the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League, going unbeaten in the Final Four in Port Harcourt. It was their seventh national title, level with Kano Pillars, and it earned them Nigeria’s place in the 2027 Basketball Africa League.

Who governs basketball in Nigeria?

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), affiliated to FIBA and FIBA Africa, runs the national teams and the leagues. The federation’s elective congress is scheduled for 15 October 2026 in Abuja.