Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, proved once again they are queens of African basketball after beating Mali 78–64 in the final of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket on Saturday in Abidjan. With this win, they lifted their fifth consecutive title and stretched their unbeaten run in the tournament to 29 games.
Head coach Rena Wakama, who made history as the first female coach to win back to back AfroBasket championships, praised her team for staying strong despite tough challenges.
“We had only six training sessions before our first game,” Wakama revealed. “Other teams had months. This was a mental battle. We didn’t complain, we stayed focused.”
Wakama’s belief in her team was clear before the final. She told the players, “Win this for Nigeria. This is bigger than you. We are building a legacy.”
The Nigerian coach also gave credit to her assistant, Wani Muganguzi, for his support and tactical brilliance. “Wani is like my brother. We share values, faith, family, and empowering women,” she said.
“We’re not done,” Wakama warned. “We want to keep winning for a long time.”