Maktown Flyers (NIGERIA)

Club Background 

Maktown Flyers Basketball Club was established in 2023 as a basketball development academy by its founder and owner Akerannan Manasseh (Manny) Achii, a Nigerian native of Makurdi, Benue State. The founder relocated to the United States in 2015 to pursue higher education, where he played college basketball, completed his degree, and currently lives and works in the United States. 

The club name, Maktown Flyers, is derived from “Maktown,” a widely used nickname for Makurdi, the founder’s hometown and the city where he first discovered basketball. The club was created to honor these roots while building a structured, internationally aligned pathway for Nigerian youth through basketball and education. 

Vision and Development Model 

Maktown Flyers operates a player-first development model focused on early talent identification, long-term athlete development, academic support, and international exposure. 

Leveraging the founder’s network of coaches, institutions, and former teammates in the United States, the club provides qualified athletes with access to structured training environments and scholarship opportunities abroad. The model emphasizes discipline, education, character development, and competitive excellence in alignment with FIBA youth development principles. 

International Pathways and Academic Placement 

Within its first year of operation, the academy produced internationally placed student-athletes. In the summer of 2024, two academy prospects, Simon David Ogwuche (6’8”) and James Augustine Ohireme (6’7”) were transitioned to the United States, where both secured high school basketball scholarships in New York City. 

These placements marked the club’s first successful execution of its international development and education pathway. 

Youth Competition Record 

In July 2025, Maktown Flyers Academy was invited to participate in the FIBA Zone 3 Youth Tournament for academies in Lagos, Nigeria, competing in the Under-17 category. The club emerged as champions, reinforcing its position as one of the region’s leading youth development programs. 

Professional Club Formation 

In August 2025, Maktown Flyers expanded into professional basketball through the acquisition of Lagos Legends Basketball Club, a Nigerian Premier League team. The acquisition was completed in the first week of August, shortly before the commencement of the league season that same month. 

Following the acquisition, the professional team was rebranded as Maktown Flyers Basketball Club, creating a vertically integrated structure connecting youth development directly to elite competition. 

Despite the condensed preparation period, the club integrated six academy-developed players into the senior roster. In its first professional season, Maktown Flyers achieved league championship honors, an unprecedented outcome for a newly acquired and restructured club. 

Club Objectives 

Maktown Flyers Basketball Club is committed to: 

Alignment with BAL & FIBA Standards 

The club’s operational philosophy aligns with FIBA youth development standards and BAL competition objectives, emphasizing: 

Maktown Flyers Basketball Club stands as a modern African basketball institution rooted locally, structured professionally, and connected globally.