Nigeria’s D’Tigress Clinch Historic Fifth Straight AfroBasket Crown, Extend Decade-Long Dominance

Nigeria’s national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have etched their names in African basketball history once again after securing their fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title. The reigning champions triumphed over Mali with a 78-64 victory in the final held in Kigali, Rwanda, on Sunday, August 3, 2025.

According to iReporter Online, the win not only sealed Nigeria’s seventh overall AfroBasket title but also extended the team’s unbeaten run in the continental competition to an extraordinary 29 matches, a streak that began in 2015. D’Tigress now hold the distinction of being the first African basketball team—male or female—to win the title five times in a row.

Their journey to the championship climax included a hard-fought semifinal encounter where they edged out Senegal 75-68 to advance to the final. In the decisive clash against Mali, D’Tigress maintained a slender 61-56 lead at the end of the third quarter before surging ahead in the final stretch, outscoring their opponents 17-8 to seal the victory.

The team continues to thrive under the leadership of head coach Rena Wakama, who took over in 2023. Wakama made history by becoming the first woman to coach a team to an AfroBasket title and has now achieved back-to-back championships. At just 33 years old, she has also led Nigeria to its first-ever Olympic quarterfinal appearance, adding to her growing legacy.

With this latest triumph, D’Tigress reaffirm their dominance in African women’s basketball, having previously won the title in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023. Over the past decade, the team has not lost a single game at the Women’s AfroBasket tournament, solidifying their reputation as a powerhouse in the sport.