Photo Credit: Afro Basket Women/Instagram
The Nigerian national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, received a hero’s welcome at the State House in Abuja on Monday evening following their historic victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship. In recognition of their remarkable achievement, claiming a fifth consecutive continental title, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced a reward package comprising national honours, cash gifts, and housing for all players and technical staff.
Each player will receive $100,000 and a three-bedroom flat at the Renewed Hope Estate. Members of the 11-man coaching and technical crew will receive $50,000 each, as well as the same housing benefit. In addition, the entire team has been conferred with the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
The announcement was made by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who hosted the team at a special reception held at the State House Banquet Hall. The event was attended by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of the Vice President Nana Shettima, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, and members of the National Assembly, among others.
“This is not just a sporting triumph,” said Shettima. “You have shown what it means to represent Nigeria with heart, grit, and discipline. Your excellence has brought pride to the nation and inspired millions.”
D’Tigress reinforced their dominance in African women’s basketball with a 78–64 win over Mali in the final held at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The team is now on a 29-game unbeaten streak in the tournament, with their last loss dating back to 2015.
The Vice President singled out Coach Rena Wakama for her leadership, calling her “a symbol of the evolution of Nigerian sports” and praising her as “a quiet force who has shattered ceilings and inspired young girls across the country.”
He also commended the tournament’s top-performing players, including Amy Okonkwo, named Most Valuable Player, and Ezinne Kalu, who scored a game-high 20 points in the final. Their performance, he said, “elevated the entire team and reminded us that this was not just a victory for individual glory, but for Nigeria.”
Echoing the sentiments, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu said: “This moment is a powerful reminder of what Nigerian women can achieve. It will inspire generations of girls to dream boldly and aim high.”
The ceremony follows a similar reception last week in honour of the Super Falcons, who recently won Nigeria’s 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title.
Highlighting the importance of sport as a pillar of development, Vice President Shettima said, “Under this administration, sports is more than entertainment. It is infrastructure, it is education, it is a diplomatic tool, and a source of youth employment and economic transformation.”
He concluded the evening with a message to the nation’s youth: “The story of D’Tigress is proof that greatness is earned through discipline and belief. Nigeria belongs to those who dare to dream.”
