ABA League: Stakeholders Laud Grassroots Basketball Revival As Knockout Stage Looms

Stakeholders have commended the inaugural Amateur Basketball Academies (ABA) League for providing a structured platform for young Nigerian players as the competition enters its decisive knockout stage in Abuja.

The 2026 Abuja ABA League, being held at the basketball courts of Package B, Moshood Abiola National Stadium, has attracted 40 academy teams — 20 boys’ and 20 girls’ teams — with more than 500 players competing for honours.

The competition has provided a platform for young players to showcase their skills and compete regularly, while coaches, scouts, officials and basketball enthusiasts have also been drawn to the games.

Former Nigeria international basketball player and grassroots promoter Sam Oguche, as well as Abdulmajid Solademi, founder of Air Warriors Basketball Club, were among stakeholders who praised the initiative for its focus on youth development.

Solademi, who has followed the competition, said the league had renewed his optimism about the future of Nigerian basketball, particularly its emphasis on identifying and developing young talents.

“I think this is absolutely incredible. When I saw it, I began to feel that we have a future in basketball because of what they are doing,” he said.

He added that Nigeria’s large population should provide a sizeable pool of talent capable of competing at continental and international levels if young players are given the right opportunities and development structures.

Oguche, who has been present at the competition since its opening day, stressed the importance of providing young players with regular and organised competitions.

“This is the opportunity everybody needs to grab. The young players need to take advantage of it because opportunities do not come every day,” he said.

He urged the players to approach the competition seriously and use the platform to improve their prospects of progressing into professional basketball.

Both stakeholders also praised the organisers for involving grassroots coaches, saying the league could provide exposure for coaches as well as players and attract greater interest in basketball development.

They called on other stakeholders to support initiatives aimed at strengthening the grassroots structure and creating a pathway for emerging talents.

Meanwhile, ABA founder and president Aliyu Lucky Abubakar said the quality of competition had reinforced his belief that Nigeria could build a stronger talent pipeline through sustained grassroots programmes.

Abubakar, a Deputy Comptroller in the Nigeria Customs Service, said consistent competition, talent identification and proper player development could help supply quality players to professional clubs, domestic leagues and the national teams.

“From what I have been witnessing since Saturday, I can conveniently say the future of basketball in Nigeria is not tomorrow; the future is being built today,” he said.

With the group-stage matches nearing completion, attention will now shift to the weekend knockout fixtures, when the last eight teams will emerge.

The organisers are hopeful that the maiden ABA League can develop into a sustainable grassroots competition capable of identifying and nurturing the next generation of Nigerian basketball players.