Nigeria Wins Five Consecutive Women’s AfroBasket Titles

Nigeria overcame a resilient Mali on the last day of the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket to become the first team to win the tournament five times in a row.

The 78-64 victory was one of Nigeria’s toughest of the tournament.

With this win, Nigeria extended their winning streak to 29-0, dating back to the third-place game of the 2015 tournament in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

As was the case for most of their initial games in the tournament, Nigeria got off to a slow start.

However, feeling threatened by Mali’s intensity, Rena Wakama’s team regrouped in the second quarter and headed to the locker room tied at 41–41.

Amy Okonkwo stepped onto the court with one specific task: shoot and play physical.

She was 7-for-11 from the field, including 4-for-7 from beyond the arc, and finished with 19 points. Ezinne Kalu led Nigeria in scoring with 20 points.

Sika Koné did everything in her power to help Mali win their first Women’s AfroBasket since 2007. However, her 16 points and 13 rebounds were no match for Nigeria, who have been Africa’s most dominant team since 2015.

Hoping to stop Nigeria’s momentum, Mali started the quarter with a zone defense, but they soon changed their strategy when Okonkwo hit a three-pointer, giving Nigeria a 44-41 lead.

From that moment on, Mali chased Nigeria for the rest of the game. Nigeria eventually settled for a 14-point victory.

HERO: With 49 points between them, Amy Okonkwo, Ezinne Kalu, and Victoria Macaulay accounted for more than half of Nigeria’s 78 points, reminding everyone of their crucial role in the team’s success throughout the tournament.

Okonkwo spent the entire game on the floor and was eventually named the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Most Valuable Player (MVP).

She has now joined a unique group of players with two MVP awards, alongside Mfon Udoka (2003 and 2005), Aya Traore (2009 and 2015), and Nacissela Mauricio (2011 and 2013).