Abuja Amateur Basketball Tournament Serves Off July

Olawale Ajimotokan  in  Abuja

The organisers of the maiden edition of Abuja Amateur Basketball Tournament have said that the grassroots competition will hold in July with 20 academies in contention.

The programme initiator, Prof. D.C. Lucky Abubakar, described the tournament as the beginning of a journey that will transform lives, reshape communities and elevate talent to the global stage.

Speaking at a briefing addressed with the Chairman, FCT Basketball Caretaker Committee, HRH Eze Ifeanyi Eke and other stakeholders, at the unveiling of the Amateur Basketball Association (ABA), Abubakar described the tournament as the beginning of a journey that will transform lives, reshape communities and elevate talent to the global stage.

Abubakar, a Deputy Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service, said the competition would feature boys and girls from academies within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He said the Amateur Basketball Academies was born out of a simple but undeniable truth: there is an abundance of untapped basketball talent in the communities.

He added that through structured grassroots programmes, regional academies, and high-performance training systems, the organisers would identify talent early and guide it carefully through every stage of development and build a pathway—from raw potential to refined excellence.

Abubakar said the ABA will serve as a platform where talents discovered in local communities will compete and excel on international stages in addition to a future where the academies will become a recognized pipeline for global basketball excellence.

 “We are committed to creating opportunities for young players to compete, improve their skills and gain valuable exposure in basketball.

“The tournament will help identify future stars capable of representing Nigeria at international competitions and strengthen grassroots basketball development,” he said.

The ABA initiative is expected to commence with a pilot edition in the FCT, with plans for expansion to other states in future editions.

The Chairman, FCT Basketball Caretaker Committee, HRH Eze Ifeanyi Eke, stressed the need for sustained investment and partnerships in grassroots basketball development.

Eke said coaches and academies remained critical to player development and the long-term growth of basketball in Nigeria.

“Grassroots basketball development requires collective commitment from stakeholders, academies, coaches and the private sector,” Eke said.