Nigeria’s D’Tigers Team Out of AfroBasket 2025 Due to Government Funding Shortfall

Nigeria’s senior male basketball team, D’Tigers, has announced its withdrawal from the 2025 AfroBasket qualifiers, citing a lack of financial support as the reason for its decision. The team shared the news on its X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday night.

“Despite several 2020 Olympians committing, D’Tigers will forfeit this AfroBasket Qualifiers window due to lack of funds from the government,” the statement read.

D’Tigers were placed in Group B alongside Uganda, Cape Verde, and Libya for the first window of the qualifiers, which is set to commence in Tunisia on Friday. The qualification process for the FIBA AfroBasket 2025 is scheduled to take place between February and November 2024, with 16 nations expected to secure their spots in the tournament. Nigeria previously clinched the AfroBasket title in 2015.

How Could This Happen?

The withdrawal of D’Tigers from the AfroBasket 2025 qualifiers raises questions about the underlying causes of the funding shortfall. Possible reasons for this challenge include:

• Government Budget Constraints: Limited allocation of funds to sports development in the national budget could be a contributing factor.
• Mismanagement of Resources: Inefficient use of available funds within the sports sector may have led to insufficient resources for the team.
• Prioritization of Other Sports: Basketball might not be receiving as much attention or funding compared to other popular sports in Nigeria.
• Economic Challenges: The broader economic situation in Nigeria, including inflation and currency devaluation, could have impacted the availability of funds for sports.
• Lack of Private Sponsorship: Insufficient support from private sponsors and corporate partners might have compounded the financial issues faced by D’Tigers.

The withdrawal of D’Tigers from the qualifiers is a significant setback for Nigerian basketball, highlighting the need for a more sustainable funding model to support the sport’s development and success on the international stage.