In a dazzling display of gratitude and national pride, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred high honours and lavish rewards upon Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, following their historic victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship.
At a special reception held Monday evening at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja, Vice President Kashim Shettima announced that each player on the championship-winning team will receive a $100,000 cash prize, a three-bedroom flat, and the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
Coaches and members of the technical crew were equally recognised, each receiving $50,000, a three-bedroom flat, and the prestigious OON distinction.
The event, which drew key government dignitaries including First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, Hajiya Nana Shettima, and Chief of Staff Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, celebrated the team’s commanding 78–64 triumph over Mali in the final held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
“You have brought great pride to Nigeria,” Shettima declared during the ceremony. “Your excellence on the court has once again put our nation on the global map for sporting greatness.”
D’Tigress’ victory marks their fifth consecutive AfroBasket title and seventh overall, solidifying their status as the most dominant force in African women’s basketball history.
Also in attendance were Senator Garba Maidoki and Hon. Kabiru Amadou, chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Sports, respectively, who lauded the team’s resilience and unity.
The reception follows a similar honour recently bestowed upon the Super Falcons for their tenth WAFCON title win in Morocco, signaling a new era of recognition for Nigerian women in sports.
