Nigeria’s D’Tigress have cemented their dominance on the African basketball scene with a commanding 78-64 win over Mali to secure their fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket championship and seventh title overall.
The victory, which came at the BK Arena in Kigali, also ensured Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup scheduled to take place in Germany.
Under the guidance of coach Rena Wakama, the Nigerian side extended their unbeaten run at the AfroBasket tournament to an impressive 29 games, continuing a streak that began in 2017.
D’Tigress came out strong in the first quarter, outscoring their Malian rivals 26-21. However, Mali responded with determination in the second quarter, closing the gap as both teams entered halftime deadlocked at 41-41.
The third quarter saw Nigeria regain control, pulling ahead to a 61-56 lead, before completely outclassing their opponents in the final quarter to seal a 14-point triumph.
While Nigeria have secured their place at the World Cup, Mali, Senegal, and South Africa will battle it out in the March 2026 qualifiers for the remaining African slot.
The victory marks another high point for African women’s basketball, with D’Tigress once again flying Nigeria’s flag high on the continental stage.
