Thousands of student-athletes in Nigerian schools could benefit from expanded basketball development opportunities following a new multi-year international partnership between Nestlé and the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The agreement, which will see Milo, Nescau and Nesquik become Official Partners of the NBA from 1 January 2027, spans 21 markets across four continents, including Nigeria. The partnership aims to increase youth participation in basketball and create more engagement opportunities through NBA development programmes and events.
For Nigerian student-athletes, the announcement builds on the longstanding impact of the Milo Basketball Championship, one of the country’s largest school sports competitions. The championship, now in its 26th edition, reached more than 13,000 schools across Nigeria in 2026, providing a platform for young players to compete while developing life skills through sport.
Under the new agreement, Nestlé and the NBA will collaborate on selected youth basketball initiatives, including Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA, NBA Basketball School, Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Coaches Academies, Her Time To Play and NBA 3X.
The partnership is expected to strengthen access to basketball development programmes for young players while deepening engagement with the sport at grassroots level.
Speaking on the partnership, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Nigeria, Wassim Elhusseini, said basketball had become an important part of the Milo brand’s contribution to youth development in the country.
“Basketball has become an important part of the Milo story in Nigeria, creating opportunities for young people to participate in sport while developing values such as discipline, resilience, teamwork and self-belief,” Elhusseini said.
“This partnership with the NBA builds on that strong foundation, connecting our longstanding commitment to basketball in Nigeria with a truly global platform. We are excited about the possibilities this creates to deepen engagement with the sport and inspire even more young people to get active, discover their potential and grow through basketball.”
Nestlé said the partnership reflects its strategy of investing in larger global marketing platforms while maintaining local relevance across participating markets.
Liberato Milo, Senior Vice President and Head of Confectionery & Snacking Strategic Business Unit at Nestlé, said basketball would serve as a vehicle to inspire young people and families to become more active.
“Together with the NBA, we will use the power of basketball to connect with consumers at scale, create locally relevant experiences and inspire more young people and families to get active and enjoy the game,” he said.
Beyond youth development programmes, the partnership will include fan engagement activities, retail promotions featuring NBA branding and opportunities for consumers to win NBA tickets, merchandise and other prizes.
For student-athletes participating in school basketball competitions across Nigeria, the agreement signals the potential for greater interaction with global basketball development platforms and reinforces the country’s position as a key market in the growth of the sport.
NBA Senior Vice President of Commercial Development and Media, Julie Morris, said the league looked forward to working with Nestlé to support basketball’s continued expansion.
“Nestlé is one of the world’s most recognisable brands and has a longstanding connection to consumers across the globe. We look forward to leveraging Nestlé’s reach and local market presence to connect with fans in new ways and support the continued growth of basketball around the world,” Morris said.
The partnership will also be activated in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Ghana, Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, Vietnam and the Philippines.