After South Africa and Senegal, NBA Africa is strengthening its presence in Africa by setting up shop in Lagos, Nigeria, with the third office of the NBA’s African branch. The country of origin of Masai Ujiri represents a market with great potential, if only for its population (219 million inhabitants).
The announcement was made official this weekend, in the presence of former Nigerian players who played in the NBA like Olumide Oyedeji and Obinna Ekezie. The day before, the first “floating” basketball court, built on the Lekki-Ikoyi bridge (Lagos) had been inaugurated.
The BAL to strengthen its development
The Nigerian office will be headed by Vice-President and National Director Gbemisola Abudu, who will be responsible for ensuring the commercial development of the NBA in Nigeria but also to promote the league’s initiatives and the practice of the sport among young people in order to to hope to bring out elite players.
“Joining NBA Africa as Vice President, Manager and National Director for Nigeria and opening a league office here is the opportunity of a lifetime and the culmination of all my experiences to date”, said Gbemisola Abudu. “As a lifelong basketball fan and a native of Nigeria, I look forward to working with NBA Africa to help build a more comprehensive basketball ecosystem in the country and to use the game-changing power of sport to make an impact. on lives in Nigeria and beyond”.
The establishment of the BAL will also represent a formidable axis of development for Nigerian basketball, in particular thanks to the presence of the Rivers Hoopers, a Nigerian team based at Rivers State.
The new season will start on March 2 with qualifying phases in Dakar (Senegal) and Cairo (Egypt), and final phases in Kigali (Rwanda) with the grand finale scheduled for May 28.
