D’Tigeress overcame a resilient Mali on the last day of the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket to become the first team to win the tournament five times in a row.
The 78-64 victory was one of Nigeria’s toughest of the tournament.
With this win, Nigeria extended their winning streak to 29-0, dating back to the third-place game of the 2015 tournament in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
As was the case for most of their initial games in the tournament, Nigeria got off to a slow start.
However, feeling threatened by Mali’s intensity, Rena Wakama’s team regrouped in the second quarter and headed to the locker room tied at 41–41.
Despite Mali’s strong start and Sika Koné’s impressive 24-point performance, Nigeria’s superior shooting efficiency (49% FG compared to Mali’s 37%) and depth proved decisive.
The defending champions outscored Mali 37–23 in the second half, locking down defensively in the fourth quarter to close out the game.
This triumph further solidifies Nigeria’s position as the most dominant force in African women’s basketball, having also defeated Senegal in the semifinals to reach their seventh straight AfroBasket final appearance.
The win also secures D’Tigress an automatic qualification spot for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, continuing their international rise under the leadership of head coach Rena Wakama, the first female to guide Nigeria to back to back titles
