With just days to go before the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket tips off in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on July 26, Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, are sharpening their focus on retaining their continental crown — and pushing toward Olympic greatness.
Head coach Rena Wakama, who made history in 2023 by leading Nigeria to a record fourth consecutive AfroBasket title — and becoming the first female coach to do so — is brimming with determination.
“Short-term goals are to win AfroBasket. Long-term goals? The eye is always on the Olympics,” she told reporters during an open training session in Abuja. “We want to get on the podium. Get one of those medals.
That’s a long-term goal.”That historic title run was followed by a quarterfinal finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Nigeria’s best performance to date on the global basketball stage.But Wakama knows expectations are high.
“We have a core that has been with me for a few years now,” she said. “The key is to connect, come together and stay focused. Everyone is coming for us. It is what it is.”She emphasized that regardless of the outcome, D’Tigress will give everything on the court.
“It’s excitement. No pressure. We’re going to give our all. Any team I coach will play as hard as they can,” Wakama said. “If we give our all and we win, great. If we give our all and we lose, still great. Maybe it wasn’t our day.”
Uplifting Women Through Sport More than titles and medals, Coach Wakama is passionate about building a legacy of empowerment for Nigerian women through basketball.
“Outside of sports, we want to continue to empower and uplift women’s basketball in Nigeria. We need support from everybody. We need the fans,” she appealed. “After these girls are gone, who’s the next generation I’m inspiring? We need more people to support our young girls in basketball.
”Captain Okonkwo:
‘We’re Ready’Team captain Amy Okonkwo echoed her coach’s optimism and drive.> “We’re excited to be back together. We have a lot of good energy. We have a lot of new faces,” she said. “I think we’re looking forward to playing against great competition in other great countries.”
She highlighted the team’s preparations:
“We’re preparing to win. We’re working hard — on our defence, on our offence — and building the best chemistry possible. Anybody can beat anybody. We need to go in with our heads high and confidence strong.”
A Team With a Mission As Nigeria’s D’Tigress prepare to defend their title and inspire a new generation, the message from Wakama and her squad is clear: determination, unity, and belief.
Their eyes are on the AfroBasket trophy — but their hearts are set on something bigger: changing the game for Nigerian women in sports.
