Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, opened their campaign at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament with an emphatic 70–37 victory over Colombia at the Astroballe Arena in Villeurbanne, Lyon, France.

The dominant performance gave Nigeria a strong start to the tournament and set a new milestone, as the 33-point margin stands as the team’s largest victory ever recorded against a non-African opponent. The result once again highlighted the growing strength and confidence of the reigning African champions on the global stage.

Head coach Rena Wakama started Amy Okonkwo, Elizabeth Balogun, Promise Amukamara, Murjanatu Musa and Ezinne Kalu, and the team quickly imposed its authority on the contest. The D’Tigress controlled the early exchanges with solid defensive play and efficient ball movement, finishing the opening quarter with an 18–12 advantage.

Colombia, ranked 19th in the world and appearing in the qualifying tournament for the first time, attempted to close the gap in the second quarter with improved offensive play. Despite the pressure, Nigeria maintained composure and discipline, going into halftime with a narrow but important 34–29 lead.

The momentum shifted decisively after the break as the Nigerian side raised the intensity of their defense. D’Tigress restricted Colombia to just five points in the third quarter while scoring 19 points of their own to extend the lead to 53–34.

Nigeria maintained the dominance in the final quarter, holding Colombia to only three points while adding 17 more to seal a convincing 70–37 victory and underline their intent in the tournament.

The result further reflects the continued rise of Nigerian women’s basketball under the leadership of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), headed by Engineer Ahmadu Musa Kida. Over the past decade, the D’Tigress have established themselves as Africa’s most successful women’s basketball team, winning five consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket titles in 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025, while maintaining a lengthy unbeaten run against African opposition.

Their global reputation grew even stronger at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where Nigeria reached the quarter-finals to become the first African basketball team, male or female, to advance to the last eight of the Olympic basketball tournament.

Under coach Rena Wakama, the first female head coach in the history of the national team and the recipient of FIBA’s Best Coach award at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the squad has continued to blend experienced players with emerging talents to sustain its competitive edge.

The progress of the team has also been supported by strategic partnerships secured by the federation, including long-term collaborations with Zenith Bank, XE Jet as official aviation partner, Adidas as apparel partner, as well as engagements with NNPC Limited and TotalEnergies. The involvement of Pamodzi Sports Consulting in sponsorship acquisition and commercial packaging has further strengthened the federation’s professional structure.

Following the impressive opening victory, attention now shifts to Nigeria’s next game in the qualifying tournament where the D’Tigress faced the Philippines. The match presents another opportunity for the African champions maintained their momentum and move closer to securing qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup scheduled to take place in Berlin, Germany.

With their commanding performance in Lyon, Nigeria has once again signaled its readiness to compete with the best teams in the world as the D’Tigress continue their pursuit of global basketball glory.