IMG Partners NBBF To Raise Standard of Basketball.

In a bid to take Nigeria's basketball to the next level, the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, has entered into an agreement with IMG Worldwide, a global sports, fashion and media company for 20 years, president of the federation, Tijanni Umar has disclosed.

The agreement which was signed in Abuja with the support of the Sports Minister, Bolajio Abdullahi will see IMG, through its local partnership group led by Tayo Amusan, help to develop and grow Nigeria's basketball, including on a professional level, for up to 20 years.

According to Umar, “Nigeria has always had the potential to be a dominant power in basketball. Today we begin investing in our long term success as a basketball power, with this step in partnership with IMG, a pioneer in world sport, bringing to bear its industry-leading expertise and strategic planning to help unlock Nigeria’s true long-term potential.”

Signing on behalf of IMG, Bobby Sharma, IMG's Senior Vice President, Global Basketball and Strategic Initiatives, said, “We're excited to join with the NBBF to develop and grow basketball in the 7th largest country in the world,” adding, “We expect (that) this collaboration will change the future of the sport in Nigeria, as well as this quickly growing region, which is already a hotbed of basketball avidity and talent.”

Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission, Bolaji Abdullahi who witnessed the ceremony stressed that “We could not be happier to have IMG, one of the most admired and respected companies in the world, invest its time and resources in Nigeria. We share a common vision for the sport of basketball in this country..”

Stressing why they had to team up with the NBBF, another IMG top shot, Mike Dolan, who is the firm's Chairman and Chief Executive officer, said that Nigeria is not only blessed with talented sports men and women but is one of the greatest countries in the world which has produced some of the greatest athletes across a variety of sports.

“Sub-saharan Africa is one of the largest and fastest growing economic regions in the world today, led by Nigeria and its 170 million population, the largest on the continent. 

Nigeria is one of the great sporting nations in the world and has already produced some of the greatest athletes across a variety of sports. We believe there is an enormous appetite for basketball on the continent, and led by the economic and cultural force of Nigeria, we have only begun to scratch the surface of what’s possible,” Dolan affirmed.

Amusan, IMG's local partner, has a wealth of experience in the conception, financing, and coordination of high-profile highly-capitalized projects across Nigeria, including ‘The Palms’ shopping mall in Lagos, the biggest such property in the country.