The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has released the electoral timetable and guidelines for the election of a new Executive Board, with the elective congress scheduled to hold on October 15 in Abuja. This follows the approval of the electoral process by the federation’s Extraordinary Congress held in Yola, Adamawa State, on September 25. The new board will emerge after a series of elections and processes leading up to the main elective congress.
The Electoral Committee, headed by Dr Lanre Glover, and a three-member Elections Appeals Committee, will oversee the process. The committees were inaugurated on September 26, and nomination forms were made available to prospective contestants from September 27. Completed nomination forms are scheduled to be returned between October 6 and 7, after which the Electoral Committee will commence the screening and clearance of aspirants.
The schedule provides for elections involving the federation’s various affiliate bodies between October 7 and 14, ahead of the main elective congress. The players’ representatives are scheduled to be elected on October 12, while the technical representative election will take place on October 13. The appeals process is also expected to be completed before the main election, with aspirants or stakeholders submitting their appeals on October 13.
The culmination of the process will be the 2026 NBBF Elective Congress in Abuja on October 15, when delegates will elect the federation’s new Executive Board. The elective congress marks the formal transition from the current administration led by Engr Ahmadu Musa Kida, who has announced that he will not seek a third term in office. Kida urged aspirants and their supporters to conduct their campaigns with dignity.
The incoming Executive Board will comprise the president and vice-president, alongside six other zonal members and representatives of the Referees and Coaches Associations. The board will also include representatives of the players’ union, the military and paramilitary, corporate sponsors, continental or international boards, and other stakeholders. This composition is designed to provide representation for different stakeholders within the basketball ecosystem.
With the electoral timetable now in place, attention shifts to the candidates seeking various positions and the campaigns leading to the October 15 congress. Several individuals have publicly indicated interest in leading the federation, including former D’Tigers international Ejike Ugboaja and Dr Mustapha Abdullahi. The incoming administration will face expectations to consolidate Nigeria’s international successes while addressing concerns around grassroots development and player welfare.
The release of the timetable provides a clearer roadmap towards the October 15 election, although the process is already attracting attention from stakeholders. The federation has proceeded with the approved timetable, with the Electoral and Appeals Committees expected to complete their responsibilities before the elective congress. The election will usher in a new four-year administration for Nigerian basketball, with the incoming board taking responsibility for the federation at the conclusion of the current leadership’s tenure.
Key points
- The Nigeria Basketball Federation has set October 15 for its elective congress to elect a new Executive Board.
- The electoral process began with the inauguration of the Electoral and Appeals Committees on September 26.
- The incoming administration will face expectations to consolidate Nigeria’s international successes while addressing concerns around grassroots development and player welfare.
