The Nigerian national senior women's team, D'Tigress, and the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) are gearing up for what will be one of the best basketball events held in Nigeria.
For the first time, the multiple award-winning D'Tigress will play on the national soil after winning five back-to-back Afrobasket championships spearheaded by Nigerian WNBA Coach, Rena Wakama.
The African champions will take on classy Kenya and high-rising Togo teams in Abuja from July 18 to 20, 2025.
The current team is huge and seen as a bumper-pack Nigerian women's team with 6 WNBA players as the team prepares to defend the title again.
As a part of the tournament in Nigeria, the players will help run women empowerment programmes in this home-coming rendezvous, even as they hold basketball camps for the up-and-coming stars in Abuja.
The event will be hosted at the prestigious Mo Arena Abuja.
The Chief Executive Officer of El Carnival, Mathew Ohio, was emotional when he spoke about this star event.
Ohi said: "After putting together a welcome party for D'Tigress in Paris at the Olympic Games, we felt it was necessary to promote and showcase the incredible talents of these wonderful ladies in Nigeria. We are excited to be a part of bringing home the best team in Africa."
The NBBF's Chairman of the Sponsorship Committee, Ugo Udezue, said it has always been the desire of the Federation's President, Musa Kida, and the Board to create a fun atmosphere for the Nigerian fans to meet and greet with the players.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"The NBBF President mandated we make this event possible and bring our D'Tigress back home. This will be an exciting and fun atmosphere with a chance for fans to meet and interact with our players for the first time. We are grateful to our sponsors, and we continue to solicit more to make this event a beautiful one," Ugo said.
D'Tigress International Tournament brings to the public that Nigeria's dominance in women's basketball is a testament to the strength, resilience, and excellence of the country's female athletes.
Over the years, D'Tigress have consistently proven themselves as the best team in Africa, winning four consecutive AfroBasket titles (2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023) and making history at the 2024 Paris Olympics by becoming the first African team to reach the quarterfinals, defeating top-ranked teams like Canada and Australia. These achievements highlight the team's success and also serve as a source of inspiration and empowerment for women in sports across Nigeria and beyond.
This tournament is designed as a key preparatory event for D'Tigress ahead of the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2025, which will be held in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, from July 24 to August 3, 2025.
The tournament will feature three competitive teams--Nigeria (D'Tigress), Kenya, and Togo - offering an opportunity for high-level competition that will enhance the teams' readiness.
