D’Tigers unveil 12-man squad for W’Cup qualifiers

Nigeria has named a 12-man roster for the first window of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers, with D’Tigers set to open their campaign on Thursday in Tunis. Head coach Abdulrahman Mohammed confirmed the squad as Nigeria prepares for Group C, where they face hosts Tunisia on Thursday, before meeting Rwanda on November 29 and Guinea on November 30. Former Afrobasket captain Ike Nwamu leads the team, joined by guards Stan Okoye and Mike Nuga, while defensive specialist Christopher Obekpa anchors the frontcourt. The squad also features three home-based players, reflecting a blend of foreign experience and domestic talent. Full squad: 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 NBBF says the team is “locked and loaded” for the opening window as Nigeria looks to re-establish itself after recent inconsistent campaigns. The qualifiers run from November 2025 to March 2027, with 16 Afrobasket teams competing for just five African spots at the World Cup in Doha. Nigeria must finish in the top three of Group C to reach the second round, where 12 teams will be split into two pools of six. Results carry over, and only the top two in each group, plus the best third-place team, will qualify. D’Tigers are aiming for a strong start, having last appeared at the World Cup in 2019, and missing the 2023 edition co-hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.