AFCON 2025
Nigeria’s D’Tigress have named their 12-player roster for the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin, headlined by Promise Amukamara, Ezinne Kalu and Elizabeth Balogun among the group named for the tournament. Head coach Rena Wakama confirmed the squad ahead of the team’s opening group game, capping the build-up that took the side through China, Spain and now Germany.
Coach Rena Wakama’s own presence on the bench carries historic weight. She becomes the first female coach to lead D’Tigress at a World Cup, a milestone that adds another layer of significance to Nigeria’s push for a strong showing in Group B against South Korea, Hungary and France.
The roster itself carries several individual landmarks. Amukamara and Kalu will join Aisha Mohammed as the only players to have featured for D’Tigress at two separate World Cup tournaments, a mark of the experience and continuity Wakama has built into her squad selection.
At the other end of the experience scale, Shay Ijiwoye joins Olayinka Sanni among the youngest players to have featured for Nigeria at a Women’s World Cup, underlining the blend of youth and know-how Wakama has assembled for Berlin.
Victoria Macaulay rounds out the list of standout selections as the oldest player to turn out for D’Tigress at a World Cup, giving the squad a veteran presence to lean on in the biggest moments of the tournament.
The full 12-player roster reads: Promise Amukamara, Jordan Obi, Elizabeth Balogun, Murjanatu Musa, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpannah, Rita Igbokwe, Victoria Macaulay, Ezinne Kalu, Shay Ijiwoye, Nicole Enabosi, Amy Okonkwo and Grace Efosa.
Nigeria open their World Cup campaign against South Korea on September 4, before facing Hungary on September 5 and closing the group phase against France on September 7. The five-time reigning African champions will hope the squad’s mix of youth, experience and historic firsts translates into a strong run in Germany.
