By SUNTV Global Channel
July 4, 2026
Nigeria’s men’s national basketball team, D’Tigers, is facing a fresh administrative crisis in Angola, with reports indicating the team risks eviction from its hotel and possible disruption of its participation in the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers over unpaid accommodation and competition-related bills.
The development comes just a day after D’Tigers secured a crucial 84-81 victory over Tunisia in their opening Group C match in Luanda, boosting their hopes of qualifying for the next stage of the competition.
Despite the impressive performance on the court, officials familiar with the tournament say Nigeria has yet to settle its financial obligations to both the hotel management and tournament organisers.
A source within the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) warned that the situation could worsen if the outstanding payments are not made promptly.
According to the source, failure to resolve the issue could result in the team being evicted from its hotel or even having its participation in the qualifiers disrupted.
The funding crisis threatens Nigeria’s campaign to secure one of Africa’s qualification slots for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup, scheduled to be hosted in Qatar. D’Tigers entered the second qualification window under pressure after winning just one of their opening three matches and are expected to win all remaining games to improve their chances of qualification.
The latest controversy adds to a series of administrative and funding challenges that have affected Nigerian basketball in recent years. Previous competitions have also been overshadowed by delayed funding, poor preparations, and logistical setbacks that impacted the team’s performance.
Nigeria’s basketball programme has experienced years of instability, including the Federal Government’s suspension of the Nigeria Basketball Federation from international competitions in 2022 following a leadership dispute. Although the suspension was later lifted, concerns over poor funding and administrative inefficiency have continued to raise questions about the management of the sport.
As of the time of filing this report, there had been no official response from the relevant Nigerian authorities regarding the reported unpaid bills.
— SUNTV Global Channel
