By Ghazali Ibrahim
Nigeria’s national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, secured their place in the final of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket tournament with a 75–68 win over Senegal in a hard-fought semifinal clash on Saturday in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
This marks Nigeria’s fifth consecutive appearance in the AfroBasket final, underscoring their dominance in African women’s basketball.
The semifinal match was a tightly contested affair, with Senegal mounting a strong challenge, particularly in the third quarter.
However, D’Tigress rallied in the final minutes, outscoring Senegal 10–3 in the last three minutes to seal the victory.
The team was led by standout performances from Amy Okonkwo, who has been Nigeria’s leading scorer in the tournament, and coach Rena Wakama, the team’s first female head coach.
President Bola Tinubu congratulated D’Tigress on their achievement, praising their resilience and the leadership of Coach Wakama.
“I especially commend Rena Wakama, the team’s first female Head Coach, whose leadership and experience, both on the court and now from the bench, continue to inspire D’Tigress to new heights in this highly competitive sport,” Tinubu said.
D’Tigress will face Mali in the final, a rematch of the 2021 tournament. The final is set to take place at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan.
