Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have once again proven their continental dominance by clinching the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket title, defeating Mali 78-64 in a thrilling final at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on Sunday.
Under the leadership of head coach Rena Wakama, the victory marks a historic fifth consecutive Afrobasket championship for Nigeria, making them the first nation ever to achieve such a feat in the tournament’s history. It also secured automatic qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin, Germany.
The final began with a fierce start from the Malians, who took an early 26-21 lead by the end of the first quarter. But the Nigerians responded with grit and precision, leveling the score at 41-41 by halftime.
In the third quarter, D’Tigress shifted into high gear. They displayed clinical execution, tightened their defense, and outpaced Mali to establish a 61-56 lead heading into the final stretch.
The fourth quarter was a showcase of Nigeria’s dominance. The team limited Mali to just eight points while adding 17 of their own, closing out the game with a commanding 14-point margin.
Okay.ng reports that the victory not only adds to Nigeria’s growing legacy in African basketball but also extends their unbeaten run in Afrobasket tournaments over the past decade.
The last time D’Tigress suffered a loss in the competition was on October 2, 2015, against Cameroon.
Since then, Nigeria has won every edition of the Women’s Afrobasket from 2017 through 2025, and now boasts seven titles overall, two early wins in 2003 and 2005, and five successive titles in the modern era.
