African champions Nigeria D’Tigress stormed into the semi-finals of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket with a dominant 83–47 win over Cameroon on Thursday night in Abidjan.
The six-time and defending champions will now face Senegal in the next round of the tournament.
Cameroon made a lively start to the quarter-final, opening with a 4–0 run. But Nigeria quickly responded, surging ahead 7–4. From that point, Coach Rena Wakama’s squad asserted control, overwhelming a visibly fatigued Cameroonian side coming off a late-night qualification game against Angola.
By half-time, Nigeria had taken full command, leading 36–18. Amy Okonkwo led the charge, delivering 15 points and 5 rebounds in the first half alone.
Victoria Macaulay made a strong impact off the bench, providing both defensive strength and scoring prowess in the paint.
By the third quarter’s end, the match was effectively over, with Nigeria ahead 66–31.
Okonkwo closed the game with 18 points, 6 rebounds, and an assist. Ezinne Kalu orchestrated play with flair, recording five assists. Nicole Enabosi contributed 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. Victoria Macaulay added 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. Elizabeth Balogun also impressed with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block.
The victory secures Nigeria’s place in the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying tournaments, alongside fellow semi-finalists Mali, Senegal, and South Sudan.
These four African nations will join 20 others in the global qualifying tournaments. From the Americas, Brazil, Argentina, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Colombia will also compete for spots in the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.