Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have made history by winning the Women’s AfroBasket championship for the fifth time in a row. This makes them the first African team to achieve such a feat.
In the final played on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at the Palais des Sports in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria defeated Mali 78–64. Despite trailing in the first quarter, D’Tigress bounced back, leveled the score by halftime, and pulled ahead in the second half to secure the victory.
This latest win marks Nigeria’s seventh AfroBasket title overall, with previous wins in 2003, 2005, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023. The team has also maintained an unbeaten run of 29 games in the tournament since 2015.
Star players in the final included Ezinne Kalu, who scored 20 points, and Amy Okonkwo, who added 19 points and 9 rebounds. Okonkwo was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the second time in a row.
With this win, D’Tigress have qualified for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournaments in Germany.
The team is coached by Rena Wakama, who in 2023 became the first female coach to lead Nigeria to an AfroBasket title. Under her leadership, D’Tigress continue to dominate women’s basketball on the continent.
