Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has made history by winning a record-breaking fifth consecutive FIBA AfroBasket Women’s Championship, following a commanding 78–64 victory over Mali in the final.
The win marks Nigeria’s seventh AfroBasket title overall and extends their unbeaten run in the competition to 29 games since 2015, solidifying their dominance on the African continent.
Despite a sluggish start, the Nigerian side, led by coach Rena Wakama, regrouped in the second quarter, entering halftime tied at 41–41. The turning point came in the third quarter as D’Tigress tightened their defence and outscored Mali 20–15, setting the stage for a decisive fourth-quarter push.
Key performances came from Ezinne Kalu, who posted 20 points, and Amy Okonkwo, who added 19. Promise Amukamara, Victoria Macaulay, and Musa also delivered crucial contributions, with Musa tallying nine points and four rebounds.
Nigeria had earlier secured a hard-fought 75–68 semi-final win over Senegal, a game dubbed the “final before the final.”
President Bola Tinubu had earlier praised the team’s resilience and hailed Wakama’s leadership, celebrating her achievement as the first woman to coach D’Tigress. With their latest triumph, the team is expected to receive a presidential reward, similar to the $100,000 bonus awarded to the Super Falcons for winning the 2025 WAFCON.
D’Tigress now stand tall as Africa’s most decorated and dominant women’s basketball team, rewriting history with every tournament.
