Nigeria’s D’Tigress have further cemented their stranglehold on African women’s basketball, becoming the first team in the competition’s history to win five consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket titles after a commanding 78-64 victory over Mali in the final.
The triumph, sealed on Sunday in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, extended Nigeria’s unbeaten run in the tournament to 29 straight games—a dominance stretching back to 2015.
Trailing champions’ rivals early, the Nigerian side rallied to deliver a decisive second-half performance, showcasing depth, experience, and resilience that have defined their run since 2017. The win completes what the team dubbed “Mission X” and reinforces their status as the benchmark in African women’s basketball.
The title also adds to a broader legacy: D’Tigress entered the tournament as four-time defending champions and, under the stewardship of coach Rena Wakama, have maintained a standard of excellence that’s drawn national attention and presidential praise. President Bola Tinubu had earlier lauded the team for reaching their fifth straight final, underscoring the national pride in their sustained success.
Beyond the trophy, the victory secures Nigeria’s continued continental supremacy and positions the team strongly ahead of global qualification pathways, including the upcoming FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying cycle.
Bottom line: The D’Tigress’ 78-64 win over Mali not only delivered a historic fifth straight AfroBasket crown but also extended an extraordinary unbeaten streak, reaffirming Nigeria’s long-term dominance in African women’s basketball.
