By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Nigeria’s men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, have suffered a major drop in the latest FIBA world rankings, slipping to 53rd place following their quarterfinal finish at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket in Angola.
Released this week by the global basketball governing body, the update confirmed Nigeria’s fall by 11 spots from 42nd in March to 53rd in September, making them one of the biggest droppers worldwide.
On the African continent, the 2015 champions also slipped from sixth to eighth, now holding 248.7 points compared to the 297.8 points they commanded earlier in the year.
Nigeria’s drop comes after a turbulent build-up and campaign at AfroBasket 2025 under head coach Mohammed Abdulrahman.
Despite off-court struggles with preparation and player availability, D’Tigers opened the tournament strongly by topping Group B with three wins from three – beating Madagascar, three-time champions Tunisia, and Cameroon.
But their run ended in the last eight with a 91-75 loss to Senegal, a game in which standout performers like Caleb Agada, Josh Okogie, Stan Okoye, and Ike Nwamu still impressed individually.
The rankings update placed Nigeria among the worst hit alongside Morocco, Tunisia, Virgin Islands, and Kosovo, while Mali, South Africa, Turkey, Cyprus, and Jamaica were among the biggest climbers.
Looking ahead, D’Tigers’ attention now shifts to the FIBA Men’s World Cup Qualifiers starting in November, where they must rebuild momentum to book a ticket to Qatar 2027.
Nigeria famously missed out on the 2023 World Cup, having last appeared in the global showpiece at the 2019 edition in China under coach Alex Nwora.
Meanwhile, continental rivals continue to strengthen their grip. South Sudan, Africa’s rising powerhouse, remain number one on the continent with 446.7 points, though they dropped one spot globally from 23rd to 24th.
Newly crowned AfroBasket champions Angola surged four places to second in Africa and 29th worldwide, while Ivory Coast, Egypt, Senegal, Cape Verde, Tunisia, Cameroon, and Mali complete Africa’s top 10.
On the global stage, the traditional giants remain unshaken. The United States lead the rankings with 845.8 points, followed by reigning world champions Germany (765.9). Serbia, France, and Canada round out the top five.
For D’Tigers, the message is clear: the AfroBasket setback has cost them dearly in the standings, but the qualifiers present a chance for redemption.
The challenge now is whether Abdulrahman’s men can rediscover consistency and restore Nigeria’s place among basketball’s elite.