Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have climbed to 8th place in the latest FIBA Women’s World Rankings, marking a historic achievement for the nation. The leap comes after their dominant performance at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in Ivory Coast, where they clinched their fifth consecutive African title.
Led by head coach Rena Wakama, the reigning champions secured their place in history with a hard-fought 75–68 victory over Senegal in the final. This win cemented their status as Africa’s top team and one of the world’s basketball powerhouses.
Ahead of Global Giants
With a score of 840.9 points, D’Tigress moved up three spots from their previous ranking, surpassing traditional basketball giants like Spain, Brazil, and Japan. They remain the only African team to have reached the quarter-finals of both the FIBA Women’s World Cup and the Olympic Games.
Mali, ranked 18th, trails as the second-highest African team, underscoring Nigeria’s dominance on the continent.
Eyes on the World Stage
The team’s focus now shifts to the FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifiers, where they will aim to secure a ticket to the global tournament.
The Nigerian Basketball Federation expressed confidence that the team’s upward momentum and consistent performances will translate into further international success.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has already honoured the team’s remarkable run by awarding each player the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), $100,000 in cash, and a plot of land.
With five African titles in a row and a place among the top 10 in the world, D’Tigress are not just rewriting Nigerian basketball history, they are redefining it.
