Nigeria’s D’Tigress have written yet another golden chapter in African basketball history, securing their fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title with a commanding 78–64 victory over Mali at the Palais des Sports Treichville in Abidjan on Sunday.
The victory not only reinforces their dominance on the continent but also extends their unbeaten streak to 28 matches, a run stretching back to their last loss in 2015.
Despite trailing 21–26 at the end of the first quarter, the Nigerian side mounted a stirring comeback, asserting control with subsequent quarter scores of 20–15, 20–15, and 17–8, driven by tenacious defence and fluid offensive transitions.
President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Musa Kida, hailed the triumph as “extraordinary”, dedicating the landmark achievement to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and attributing the team’s sustained success to the Renewed Hope agenda.
“Tonight in Abidjan, our D’Tigress have accomplished the extraordinary—Mission Five has become Mission V Accomplished,” Kida said in an elated statement.
“Winning five AfroBasket titles in a row without losing to any African national team is not merely dominance—it is our legacy.”
Kida praised the team’s fighting spirit and national pride, adding that President Tinubu’s commitment to sports development had laid the groundwork for such achievements.
“These fearless women have demonstrated to the world what it means to embody the Nigerian spirit: resilient, bold, and unstoppable. We proudly dedicate this historic victory to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he added.
Under Kida’s leadership, the D’Tigress have transformed into a global basketball force, winning four of their five AfroBasket titles in his tenure and making headlines in Paris 2024, where they became the first African women’s team to reach the Olympic quarter-finals.
The team’s recent triumph has sparked celebrations across Nigeria, with sports analysts calling it a watershed moment not just for Nigerian basketball, but for women’s sport in Africa.
