ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - As 2025 draws to a close, we look back at some of the most significant events that have shaped African basketball.
From youth events and camps to countless stops in different countries across the continent, not to mention two new club-level champions, record winners and the retirement of a historical figure, the last twelve months have shown a new side to African basketball.
2025 FIBA Youth Camps for boys and girls
Two FIBA Regional Youth Camps were hosted in Cairo, Africa.
The programme comprised two distinct camps: the girls' camp ran from 12 to 15 October, followed by the boys' camp from 19 to 22 October.
Each camp brought together 40 young athletes from 20 countries who were selected based on their talent, discipline, and potential both on and off the court.
Madagascar reign supreme at the 2025 FIBA 3x3 Africa Cup
Both men’s and women’s Madagascar teams took home the win at the FIBA 3x3 Africa Cup 2025 on December 7.
Côte d'Ivoire crowned 2025 U16 AfroBasket champions
Côte d'Ivoire overcame Cameroon in the final to become the fifth nation to lift the U16 AfroBasket trophy, following in the footsteps of Guinea, the 2023 champions.
This victory also means that Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon will represent the continent at the 2026 FIBA U17 World Cup.
Egypt end Mali's U16 Women's AfroBasket dominance
In Kigali, Rwanda, Egypt rose to the occasion and claimed their first ever FIBA U16 Women’s AfroBasket title, overcoming Côte d’Ivoire 66–54 in the final.
Both teams will now represent Africa at the 2026 FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup.
Egypt's victory brought an end to Mali's long-standing dominance of the tournament. Prior to the Kigali tournament, Mali had won the competition eight times.
2025 BAL Season
In its fifth season, the BAL saw Al Ahly Tripoli from Libya crowned as the new champions, after they upset the defending champions, Petro de Luanda, in the final.
2026 Road to BAL
Not only did the qualifying tournament for the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) see three of the five new teams secure their place in the competition, it was also hosted by a record seven African cities: Bamako, Dar es Salaam, Kinshasa, Lusaka, Abidjan, Nairobi and Praia.
Twenty-two teams played a combined 59 games over the five-week event, which ran from 17 October to 23 November.
Jeuness Club d'Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire), Johannesburg Giants (South Africa) and Dar City (Tanzania) will make their BAL debut after finishing in the top five in the Road to BAL. They will be joined by Al Ahly Benghazi (Libya) and Nairobi City Thunder (Kenya), who competed in the 2024 and 2025 BAL seasons respectively.
12th African title for Angola
In front of their home fans in the capital city of Luanda, Angola ended a 12-year AfroBasket title drought by beating Mali 70-43 in the final.
This was Angola's 12th AfroBasket title and their first since 2013.
No other African nation has won the AfroBasket tournament as many times as Angola.
Queens of African basketball
By beating Mali 78–64 in the final of the 2025 Women's AfroBasket in Abidjan, Nigeria became the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won five consecutive titles.
Al Ahly SC claim their first African title
In early December, Egypt's Al Ahly Sporting Club defeated the defending champions, Ferroviario de Maputo of Mozambique, to win the 2026 Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA) title. This was their first African title.
Second MVP award for Amy Okonkwo
Not only did Amy Okonkwo play a major role in helping Nigeria secure their fifth Women's AfroBasket title, she also joined an elite group of players to win two MVP awards at the Women's AfroBasket tournament in the last two decades.
Prior to her 2025 MVP win, Okonkwo was named MVP at the 2023 tournament.
Other players with two Women's AfroBasket MVP awards include Aya Traoré of Senegal (2009 and 2015) and Nacissela Mauricio of Angola (2011 and 2013).
Shortest MVP in AfroBasket history?
Measuring just 1.67 metres tall, Childe Dudao played a gigantic role in Angola's 2025 AfroBasket title victory, averaging an impressive 15.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.8 steals per game. As a result, he was named the 2025 AfroBasket Most Valuable Player (MVP).
There is no record of a player of Dudao's height ever winning the AfroBasket MVP award.
Regional Office of Africa welcomes new Executive Director
Julien Farran replaced Dr. Alphonse Bile as the Regional Office of Africa Executive Director.
A former national referee in Côte d'Ivoire from 1996 to 2006, Mr Farran obtained an international referee licence in 2005. He has worked for FIBA since 2004.
FIBA