Qualification
Participants were sixteen national basketball teams among the 53 FIBA Africa members. These teams included the host nation, the top four sides at the FIBA Africa Championship 2007 in Angola, one wild card, and the top eleven sides at the 2009 Zone preliminary basketball competitions. None of the countries in Qualification Zone 7 registered for the qualifying tournament, so a second wild card was added. 14 of the 16 teams that competed for the 2007 Championship returned, with host Libya and Congo replacing Liberia and DR Congo. The following national teams competed:
| Number | Team | Qualified as | Finals Appearance | Last Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Libya | Host | 4th | 1978 |
| 2 | Angola | 1st place FIBA Africa Championship 2007 | 16th | 2007 |
| 3 | Cameroon | 2nd place FIBA Africa Championship 2007 | 5th | 2007 |
| 4 | Cape Verde | 3rd place FIBA Africa Championship 2007 | 4th | 2007 |
| 5 | Tunisia | Zone 1 Winner | 18th | 2007 |
| 6 | Morocco | Zone 1 Runner-Up | 16th | 2007 |
| 7 | Mali | Zone 2 Winner | 15th | 2007 |
| 8 | Nigeria | Zone 3 Winner | 14th | 2007 |
| 9 | Ivory Coast | Zone 3 Runner-Up | 19th | 2007 |
| 10 | Central African Republic | Zone 4 Winner | 15th | 2007 |
| 11 | Congo | Zone 4 Runner-Up | 5th | 1985 |
| 12 | Egypt | Zone 5 Winner | 19th | 2007 |
| 13 | Rwanda | Zone 5 Runner-Up | 2nd | 2007 |
| 14 | Mozambique | Zone 6 Winner | 10th | 2007 |
| 15 | Senegal | Wild Card | 24th | 2007 |
| 16 | South Africa | Wild Card | 7th | 2007 |
Read more about this topic: FIBA Africa Championship 2009