Building the Future of Nigerian Basketball: ABA’s Mission Beyond Politics

Building the Future of Nigerian Basketball: ABA’s Mission Beyond Politics

By Niyi Busari 

The President and Founder of the Amateur Basketball Academies (ABA), Deputy Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service, Lucky Aliyu Abubakar, has reaffirmed the association’s commitment to promoting and protecting the interests of basketball academies across Nigeria.

Speaking during the weekend edition of Sport World on NTA Sports 24, Aliyu emphasized that the establishment of the ABA was driven by the need to create opportunities for grassroots basketball development rather than engage in basketball politics.

According to him, the association was created to harness the vast potential within the numerous basketball academies spread across the country by providing the structure, exposure, and opportunities needed for young athletes to maximize their talents.

“We established the Amateur Basketball Academies to unlock the immense potential that exists within grassroots basketball and create a clear pathway from raw talent to refined excellence,” he said.

Aliyu noted that the association is anchored on four key pillars: talent discovery, nurturing, growth, and development, with the ultimate goal of producing players capable of competing on the global stage.

“Through regional academies, structured grassroots programmes, and high-performance training systems, ABA will identify talents early and guide them through every stage of their development,” he stated.

The ABA president also called on existing basketball academies nationwide to register with the association, assuring them of access to developmental opportunities and support. He added that academies facing challenges with training facilities would receive assistance from the organization.

Aliyu commended the Nigeria Basketball Federation led by Engineer Ahmadu Musa Kida, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Wale Adeniyi, the Chairman of the FCT Sports Associations Chairmen Forum, His Royal Highness Eze Sir Ifeanyi Eke, state basketball associations, parents, and other stakeholders for their support since the inception of the association.

He further disclosed that following the successful training and coaches’ clinics held in Abuja and Minna, similar programmes would soon be extended to Makurdi, Gombe, and other states across the country.

Aliyu expressed confidence that the maiden edition of the Amateur Basketball Academies League, scheduled to take place in Abuja and its environs next month, would provide a platform for emerging talents from various academies to showcase their abilities.