Nigeria will for the first time in 10 years host an international basketball competition after winning the hosting bid for the 2017 FIBA Africa Club championship zonal elimination finals.
The hosting right of the event which was held in Togo in 2016 was awarded to the Nigeria Basketball Federation by FIBA Africa zone 3 after it met all the criteria for a prospective host. The President of the NBBF Engineer Musa Kida said having been out of international circulation for the past one decade, it was high time Nigeria claimed her place in Africa as the true giant that she truly is.
Arising from its board meeting which was held in Lagos on Monday, the board unanimously agreed that the absence of any meaningful international competition in Nigeria has adversely affected the clubs. “The cost of prosecuting these international competitions by these clubs when they travel out will be at least reduced by 50%. Now, clubs participating in the elimination series will only be worried about internal transportation, accommodations and payment of allowances for their players.” Kida said the move to host the event slated for October 19th to 29th is part of plans to rewrite the story of Nigerian basketball as a force to reckon with in Africa.
Meanwhile, the federation is considering biding for the 2017 FIBA Africa Women’s club championship slated to hold in November.
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