Oyedeji issues warning after D’Tigress’ World Cup exit

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Former D’Tigers captain Olumide Oyedeji has warned that Nigeria can no longer take its dominance in African women’s basketball for granted after D’Tigress’ disappointing campaign at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.

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D’Tigress were knocked out after losing all three Group B matches in Berlin, including a heavy 111-56 defeat by France in their final game.

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Oyedeji said their campaign was a wake-up call for Nigerian basketball and urged the country to take urgent steps to prevent other African nations from closing the gap.

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“The early exit is a wake-up call. It is a major step backward for the team, and urgent attention needs to be paid to the situation because the rest of Africa is also catching up with us,” Oyedeji said.

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D’Tigress had entered the tournament as the reigning African champions after winning a fifth consecutive AfroBasket title in 2025.

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The team also made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics by becoming the first African side to reach the quarter-finals of the women’s basketball event.

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Oyedeji, a former Nigeria international and current Nigeria Basketball Federation board member, said the latest setback should prompt a review of the country’s preparation and development programme.

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The former NBA player added that Nigeria must use the disappointment to build a stronger pathway for the next generation of players.

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