18/08/2026
Junior D’Tigress: Silver in Africa, World Cup Bound
I congratulate Nigeria’s U18 women’s basketball team, the Junior D’Tigress, on their impressive performance at the FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket Championship in Abidjan, where they emerged as African silver medallists and secured qualification for the 2027 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in China.
Although they lost the final 77–68 to Mali, the defending champions, their achievement deserves to be celebrated. These young Nigerians fought through the championship, reached the continental final, and earned the right to represent our country and Africa on the world stage next year.
I am particularly concerned, however, by what I have learned about the circumstances of their preparation. I understand that the complete team had only a few days together before the tournament, despite an earlier preparation programme that had envisaged a longer camping and integration period for the home-based and foreign-based players.
For a team assembled under such circumstances to reach an African final is a remarkable testimony to the talent, resilience, and determination of the girls, as well as to the commitment of their coaches, officials, and families who worked to make the best of a difficult situation.
But their success should not make us comfortable with the shortcomings that surrounded their preparation.
Nigeria has never lacked talented young people. From sports to science, technology, education, entrepreneurship, and the arts, our children continue to demonstrate that they can compete with the best anywhere in the world. Our challenge has always been whether we are prepared to build the systems that discover their talents early, develop them deliberately, and give them the support required to succeed.
We cannot continue to depend on individual brilliance and extraordinary sacrifice to compensate for institutional weaknesses. Our young people deserve better.
These girls have now earned a place at the World Cup. The lesson from Abidjan must therefore be that preparation for China should begin early. They should be kept together, properly trained, adequately supported, and given every opportunity to develop into a stronger and more cohesive team.
I commend the players, the coaching and technical crew, the basketball officials, and the parents whose sacrifices helped make this achievement possible. Their effort reminds us once again that committed Nigerians are everywhere; what we need are institutions that enable their commitment to produce even greater results.
To the girls, I say: hold your heads high. The silver medal is not the end of your journey. You have earned the opportunity to compete against the world, and I look forward to seeing you represent Nigeria with even greater distinction in China.
Congratulations, Junior D’Tigress. Nigeria is proud of you.
A new Nigeria is POssible.
- PO
