Head coach David Fizdale has named Nigeria’s final 12-man roster for the second round of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers, with Chima Moneke returning to the national team for the first time in more than five years.

D’Tigers arrive in Radès on the back of a three-game winning streak in Angola during the previous qualifying window, a run that helped them recover from a difficult start to the campaign in November 2025 and move into Group E for the second round. All three of Nigeria’s games in this window, against Cameroon, South Sudan and Cabo Verde, will be played at the Salle Multidisciplinaire de Radès.

BLOW OUT!!

D’Tigers finished this window of the #FIBAWC qualifiers, winning all their three games in Luanda.

Nigeria defeated Rwanda with an overwhelming victory, almost doubling the points of their opponents.

Nigeria 🇳🇬 106 – 62 Rwanda 🇷🇼 pic.twitter.com/N7C5I3M2Kp

— Making of Champions (@MakingOfChamps) July 5, 2026

To prosecute the games, Fizdale’s roster parades established internationals like Josh Okogie, Caleb Agada and Stan Okoye. Moneke’s return adds another experienced option to a squad looking to make the most of an important qualifying window.

Moneke last represented Nigeria in February 2021 during the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 Qualifiers. More than five years later, the Sacramento Kings forward returns to the national setup as D’Tigers continue their push for a place at the 2027 World Cup in Qatar.

Nigeria will open the window against Cameroon on August 27 before facing South Sudan the following day. The final test of the window will be against Cabo Verde on August 30.

History gives Nigeria some reason for confidence in two of those matchups. D’Tigers have won three of their last four meetings with Cameroon and have never lost to South Sudan in two previous encounters, although the Bright Stars currently sit as Africa’s highest-ranked team according to FIBA. Cabo Verde presents a tougher challenge, with Nigeria winning only once in six previous meetings between the sides.

There are still three qualifying windows to come after the games in Tunisia, but the Radès fixtures offer Nigeria another opportunity to build on the momentum from Angola and strengthen its position in the race for one of Africa’s places at the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

🇳🇬🏀 FINAL ROSTER: D’Tigers are set for Tunisia!

D’Tigers head to the FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers, August 27–30, with a roster stacked with talent and experience ready to represent Nigeria on the road to the World Cup.

Let’s go Naija! 🇳🇬#NigeriaBasketball… pic.twitter.com/xWNRBYdBb3

— Official Team Nigeria Basketball (@OfficialTNBball) August 19, 2026