By Joe Apu
Nigeria has been drawn into Group B of the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket, where they will face a challenging lineup including Tunisia, Cameroon, and Madagascar.
The official draw took place on Friday night in Luanda, the capital of Angola, with the 16 participating nations grouped based on the FIBA World Ranking Men, presented by NIKE. The ceremony was a star-studded affair, graced by some of Africa’s most decorated basketball legends including seven-time AfroBasket gold medallist and FIBA Hall of Famer Jean-Jacques da Conceicao, five-time champion Victor Carvalho, and former MVPs Miguel Lutonda and Joaquim Gomes.
Also in attendance were Angola’s Minister of Sports and Youth Rui Falcao, Minister of Culture Filipe Zau, and representatives from each of the 16 national teams.
FIBA Africa President Anibal Manave commended Angola for its commitment to the development of basketball on the continent, noting that it remains the only African nation to host AfroBasket in multiple cities. This year’s tournament will be staged in Luanda and Namibe, with group stage matches played in both cities. The final phase, however, will be held exclusively in Luanda.
“This tournament is not just a competition, but a celebration of African basketball excellence and our continued growth on the global stage,” said Manave.
The 2025 edition of the continent’s premier basketball competition coincides with Angola’s 50th anniversary of independence, a symbolic convergence that Manave highlighted as “an opportunity to showcase the unifying power of sport and celebrate our shared cultural identity.”
The tournament is scheduled to run from August 12 to 24, with group stage games from August 12 to 17, and the knockout rounds from August 17 to 24 in Luanda.
Group A: Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde, DR Congo, Rwanda
Group B: Tunisia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Madagascar
Group C: Angola, South Sudan, Guinea, Libya
Group D: Senegal, Egypt, Mali, Uganda