Nigeria’s national under-18 basketball team has been denied visas by South Africa, preventing their participation in the 2024 FIBA U18 Afrobasket tournament in Cape Town. The tournament, which starts today, is now under a cloud of controversy due to this unexpected setback
Ugo Udezue, Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF), confirmed the visa denial in a statement on Tuesday, expressing deep frustration. He criticized the lack of explanation from the South African Consulate in Abuja, calling the move a form of sabotage that threatens Nigeria’s chance to compete on the international stage.
The denial comes as a major blow to the male players who had been training in Abuja after returning from Abidjan. Their hopes of competing in the FIBA World Championship now hang in the balance. In contrast, the South African Embassy in Lagos approved visas for the Nigerian girls’ team, who are currently in Pretoria preparing for their match against Egypt.
Both Nigerian teams earned their spots in the tournament by winning the FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers in Ivory Coast. The NBBF has lodged formal complaints with FIBA Africa, the South African hosts, and Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but efforts to resolve the issue have so far been unsuccessful.
