Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, opened their FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament campaign with a commanding 70–37 victory over Colombia at the Astroballe Arena in Villeurbanne, France on Wednesday.

The seven-time African champions asserted their dominance in all facets of the game, using the tournament to sharpen preparations for the D’Tigressin Berlin.

Under head coach Rena Wakama, Nigeria set the tone with an 18–12 first-quarter lead, steadily extending their advantage with a methodical display of offensive precision and defensive discipline. By halftime, the score was 34–29, and a third-quarter surge saw the lead balloon to 53–34. The fourth quarter was largely academic, with D’Tigress maintaining intensity to close out a 33-point victory.

Nicole Enabosi was instrumental for Nigeria, contributing 10 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. Victoria Macaulay led the scoring with 13 points and topped the efficiency chart at 19, while Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah added two blocks and key rebounds on the defensive end. Guard Ifunanya Okoro also contributed with two steals and a crucial fourth-quarter layup.

Colombia struggled to match Nigeria’s pace and physicality. Yuliany Paz was the only Colombian in double digits for efficiency, registering seven, along with five rebounds and three blocks, while Mabel Martinez scored six points. The South American side could not establish momentum after a competitive second quarter.

The opening victory marked Wakama’s 14th competitive win since taking charge of D’Tigress in July 2023, extending her record to a 77% win rate from 18 competitive matches, with losses coming against Belgium, France, and twice to the United States.

The win sets a positive tone for Nigeria’s second game of the qualifying series against  on Thursday. Although D’Tigress have already secured a spot at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup by winning the Women’s AfroBasket 2025, the qualifiers offer a valuable opportunity to test squad depth and tactical flexibility against international opponents.

The five-game tournament, running from March 11 to 17, will see the top two teams join hosts and AfroBasket champions Nigeria at the 2026 World Cup.

Nigeria will aim to replicate and build upon their historic 2018 World Cup achievement in Tenerife, Spain, where they became the first African side to advance from the group stage.