President of the FIBA Africa Zone 3, Col. Sam Ahmedu (Rtd), has congratulated Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire on securing qualification for the 2027 FIBA U-19 World Cups following their impressive performances at the African U-18 Championships in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The two countries emerged as the Zone 3 representatives to the global youth championships after the continental finals concluded at the Palais des Sports, Treichville, on August 16. Blueprint reports

While Côte d’Ivoire secured qualification through its men’s team, Nigeria earned its place at the global championship through its women’s team after both sides produced strong performances at the African U-18 championships.

Côte d’Ivoire clinches men’s title

Côte d’Ivoire capped its impressive campaign by winning the men’s championship after defeating Senegal in the final.

Playing before a home crowd in Abidjan, the Ivorian team maintained its composure in the decisive encounter to claim the continental crown and secure its place at the 2027 FIBA U-19 Men’s World Cup.

The triumph represented a major achievement for Côte d’Ivoire’s youth basketball programme and further demonstrated the country’s growing investment in developing young talents.

For Nigeria, however, the women’s team had to settle for second place after reaching the championship game before losing to Mali.

Despite falling short in the final, the Nigerian women impressed throughout the tournament and secured one of the qualification spots for the 2027 FIBA U-19 Women’s World Cup.

Ahmedu praises teams

Reacting to the achievements of both countries on Tuesday, Ahmedu described their qualification as a significant boost for basketball development in FIBA Africa Zone 3.

He praised the players, coaches and administrators involved in the campaigns, stressing that their performances demonstrated the importance of investing in youth development.

According to him, the success recorded by Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire should encourage other basketball administrators within Zone 3 to intensify their grassroots programmes and create more opportunities for young players to develop.

Ahmedu said strong development structures at the junior level were essential to producing players capable of succeeding at senior and international levels.

He noted that sustained investment in youth basketball would not only strengthen national teams but also help countries in the zone produce players capable of competing at the highest level of the sport.

Calls for stronger grassroots programmes

The FIBA Africa Zone 3 president urged basketball stakeholders across the region to draw lessons from the performances of Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire.

He stressed that developing young players should remain a priority for basketball administrators, particularly because the transition from junior to senior basketball requires consistent training, competitive exposure and adequate facilities.

Ahmedu also emphasised the importance of identifying talented players at an early age and providing them with the necessary coaching and competition to maximise their potential.

He said the latest achievements by Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire demonstrated what could be achieved when young players are given the right platform to develop.

The Zone 3 leadership, he added, would continue to support initiatives aimed at creating more opportunities for young basketball players across the region.

Zone 3 U-16 tournament planned for Ghana

As part of its continued youth development programme, FIBA Africa Zone 3 is preparing to stage another major competition for young players later this year.

The FIBA Africa Zone 3 U-16 Tournament is scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana, in October 2026.

Ahmedu said the tournament would build on the success of the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Academies Tournament held in 2025 and provide another avenue for young talents across the region to gain valuable competitive experience.

He said, “As part of its commitment to youth basketball development, following the success of the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Academies Tournament in 2025, the FIBA Africa Zone 3 U-16 Tournament is scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana, in October 2026.”

The competition is expected to bring together emerging talents from countries within the Zone 3 region and expose them to a higher level of competition.

More opportunities for young talents

The upcoming U-16 tournament is also expected to strengthen the region’s youth development pipeline by providing young players with opportunities to compete against their peers from other countries.

Such competitions are considered important in helping young athletes gain experience, improve their skills and adapt to the demands of international basketball.

For basketball administrators, the tournaments also provide an avenue to assess the progress of grassroots programmes and identify players with the potential to represent their countries at higher levels.

Ahmedu said the Zone 3 leadership remained committed to creating such platforms as part of its broader strategy to develop basketball from the grassroots.

Zone 3 celebrates emerging success

The qualification of Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire for the 2027 FIBA U-19 World Cups represents another positive development for basketball in Zone 3.

Ahmedu said the achievements should serve as motivation for other countries in the region to strengthen their youth programmes and invest more resources in developing the next generation of players.

He maintained that the future of African basketball depended largely on the ability of stakeholders to establish sustainable pathways for young athletes.

With Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire now set to represent the zone at the global youth championships, attention will turn to preparations for the 2027 tournaments, while the FIBA Africa Zone 3 leadership continues its efforts to broaden youth participation through competitions such as the U-16 tournament in Ghana.

The Zone 3 leadership also expressed optimism that the continued organisation of youth competitions would help uncover more talents capable of making significant contributions to African and global basketball in the years ahead.