Rena Wakama is a Nigerian professional basketball coach and former player, born on April 11, 1992, in Raleigh, North Carolina, to Nigerian parents from Okrika, Rivers State. Her passion for basketball was ignited by her cousin, Onimisi Aiyede, at a young age. Wakama played college basketball for Western Carolina University’s Catamounts, starting in 121 games over her four-year tenure. She later joined Nigeria’s national team, D’Tigress, competing in the 2015 Women’s Afrobasket tournament.

Career Highlights:

• Player: Wakama represented Nigeria’s First Bank at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women and played for D’Tigress.
• Coach: She began her coaching career at Manhattan College, serving as Director of Women’s Basketball Operations and later as an assistant coach. Wakama was appointed head coach of D’Tigress in 2023, becoming the first female coach to lead the team.
• Achievements: Under her leadership, D’Tigress won the FIBA AfroBasket Women’s competition, and the team became the first African team to qualify for the quarterfinals in basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Wakama was awarded the Best Coach of the Tournament by FIBA.

Personal Life and Education:

• Wakama holds a bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Western Carolina University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Manhattan College.
• Her net worth is estimated to be between $50k to $1 million, depending on the source.

Wakama’s journey is an inspiration, showcasing her dedication, resilience, and passion for basketball. She’s breaking barriers and setting new standards for women in sports, particularly in Nigerian and African basketball.

In 2023, she became the first female Head Coach of D’Tigress, and became the first Nigerian National Female Basketball Team coach to win the FIBA AfroBasket Women competition since it began in 1966. At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, under her leadership, Nigeria’s D’Tigress became the first African team, male or female, to qualify for the quarterfinals of basketball at the Olympics after beating Canada 79-70. She was awarded the Best Coach of the tournament by FIBA for guiding the Nigerian team to a historic outing at the Paris 2024 Olympics. D’Tigress won their fifth consecutive AfroBasket title and seventh overall, defeating Mali 78–64 in the final in Abidjan. This victory extended their unbroken winning streak in AfroBasket games since 2015 and made them the first African team to qualify for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup pre-qualifier. Following their historic victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu awarded them cash prizes, housing, and national honours. Each player received US $100,000, a bedroom flat, and was conferred the National honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON). Each of the 11-member coaching/technical staff received US $50,000, the same housing allocation, and also received OON honours.