By Samuel Akpan
Ahead of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) elective congress on October 15, presidential contender Dr. Abdullahi Mustapha launched his ambitious “New Dawn” campaign on Wednesday in Abuja.
Mustapha, who addressed sports reporters including PerSecondNews correspondent, pledged to revamp Nigerian basketball by driving commercial investment, strengthening local leagues, sharpening administration, and building from the grassroots up.
He said his decision to contest the presidency was driven by the need to build a stronger institution capable of converting Nigeria’s abundant basketball talent into sustained success at domestic and international levels.
According to him, the election should be viewed as more than a contest for leadership, but as an opportunity to determine the future direction of Nigerian basketball.
“I believe Nigerian basketball has enormous potential, but that potential must now be matched with a stronger institution, sustainable investment, professional administration and a clear development pathway,” Mustapha said.
The presidential hopeful said his proposed administration would prioritise grassroots development, arguing that the next generation of D’Tigers and D’Tigress players were already playing in schools, communities, academies and local courts across the country.
He proposed the establishment of a coordinated national schools basketball programme, stronger competitions from local government to national level, regional talent centres and a national talent-identification and player-tracking system.
Mustapha also promised to create a structured pathway linking schools, academies, clubs, leagues and national teams, insisting that talented youngsters should not be denied opportunities because of their location, financial circumstances or lack of connections.
He said restoring confidence in domestic competitions would be another major priority of his administration if elected.
According to him, Nigerian leagues require predictable calendars, stronger club structures, proper licensing, improved player contracts and welfare, better venues, digital statistics and stronger broadcasting and commercial platforms.
“Nigerian players should not have to remain inactive for long periods simply because our domestic system is unable to provide regular competition.”
Mustapha further promised to invest in coaches, referees, statisticians, physiotherapists, team managers and other technical personnel through regular training, certification, international exposure and the adoption of modern tools in analytics, scouting and performance management.
He said national teams should no longer operate on emergency preparations, but should have permanent development structures.
Under his proposed system, D’Tigers, D’Tigress and Nigeria’s age-grade teams would benefit from early preparations, merit-based selection, improved welfare, medical support, professional technical crews and long-term succession planning.
Mustapha, who placed particular emphasis on women’s basketball, saying the achievements of D’Tigress had demonstrated what Nigerian basketball could accomplish when players were properly supported.
“Women’s basketball will therefore be a major pillar of our development agenda,” he said.
“Sponsors must receive value, competitions must receive dependable support, and the federation must become an institution capable of generating sustainable revenue,” he said.
On governance, Mustapha promised a more inclusive and transparent NBBF, saying players, coaches, referees, clubs, state associations, academies, sponsors, former internationals and supporters must have meaningful roles in the development of the game.
“The NBBF presidency should not be about personal entitlement. It should be about service. It should not be about preserving divisions. It should be about building an institution.”
Mustapha urged delegates to support his vision at the October 15 election, declaring: “Together, we can move Nigerian basketball from potential to podium.”