Angola has been selected to host this year’s FIBA AfroBasket following the withdrawal of the Republic of Congo due to "logistics issues" ©FIBA

Angola has been selected to host this year’s International Basketball Federation (FIBA) AfroBasket following the withdrawal of the Republic of Congo due to "logistics issues".

The decision was made after a meeting between the Angolan Basketball Federation (FAB) and the FIBA Africa Board in Mali’s capital Bamako.

The 29th edition of Africa's flagship basketball competition, which will be contested by 16 teams, is due to take place from August 19 to 30.

It will mark the fourth time Angola has staged the event with the Central African country having also done so in 1989, 1999 and 2007.

Nigeria are the defending AfroBasket champions ©FIBA
Nigeria are the defending AfroBasket champions ©FIBA

Among the nations set to compete at the 2017 AfroBasket are reigning champions Nigeria and hosts Angola, who suffered defeat in the 2015 final.

They will be joined by 11 countries that earned their place through the qualifiers - Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda - and wild card entrants Guinea and Rwanda.

An additional wild card will be allocated in order to select the Republic of Congo's replacement.

Nigeria’s triumph at the 2015 event in Tunisian city Radès secured them a place at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where they failed to make it through the group stage with one win from five matches.