National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko has rejected calls for the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) board to step down following D’Tigress’ early exit from the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Germany.
Nigeria suffered defeats in all three Group B matches and ended its campaign with a 111-56 loss to France.
The result has sparked criticism of the federation’s administration and preparation of the team, with some stakeholders demanding the resignation of the Musa Kida-led board ahead of the NBBF election.
Dikko, however, said the government could not unilaterally dissolve or remove a recognised federation board without following the applicable procedures and consulting FIBA, basketball’s world governing body.
“We cannot just wake up and start disbanding boards,” Dikko said, warning that Nigeria’s actions must take FIBA’s position into account.
He also cautioned that an improper intervention could expose the country to sanctions and threaten its participation in international competitions.
“If we dabble into the matter improperly and Nigeria gets banned from participating at the World Cup, what happens?” he asked.
FIBA has recognised the current NBBF board’s mandate until October 15, 2026, with a newly elected administration scheduled to take over the following day.
The development makes the forthcoming federation election the immediate avenue for any change in leadership rather than a forced resignation, according to Dikko’s position.
The World Cup performance has nevertheless raised concerns over the direction of a team that had dominated African women’s basketball in recent years.
D’Tigress won a fifth consecutive Women’s AfroBasket title in 2025 and reached the quarter-finals of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, raising expectations ahead of the global tournament.
Dikko maintained that the federation had fulfilled its responsibilities in preparing the team and argued that a poor tournament should not automatically lead to the removal of its leadership.
Meanwhile, the NSC confirmed that D’Tigress players and officials have received the naira equivalent of the $100,000 presidential reward promised after their 2025 AfroBasket triumph.
Attention will now turn to the NBBF election and whether the process produces a new leadership capable of addressing the concerns exposed by the World Cup campaign.
Dikko rejects calls for NBBF board to resign after D’Tigress World Cup flop
