On August 4, 2025, in a ceremony at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the First Lady officially honored Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, in recognition of their landmark victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship in Abidjan. Each player received a cash prize of $100,000, while members of the technical crew were awarded $50,000 each. Beyond the monetary rewards, the government also presented the team and staff with three-bedroom flats at the Renewed Hope Estate and conferred upon them the prestigious national honor of Officer of the Order of the Niger
President Tinubu praised the team’s resilience, discipline, and unwavering patriotism during the competition. “They are not only champions but role models representing Nigeria’s youth and national pride on the African continent,” he declared, underscoring the significance of their achievement in elevating the country on the continental stage
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu echoed these sentiments, celebrating D’Tigress as role models for young Nigerian girls. In her remarks, she emphasized how the team’s fifth consecutive AfroBasket title serves as a shining example of what women from Nigeria can achieve with dedication and teamwork
The presidential reception did not only involve the head of state and his wife. Vice President Kashim Shettima stood in to confer national rewards on behalf of the President. Also in attendance were top government and sports officials including the Chief of Staff to the President, the Senate Sports Committee Chair, and multiple ministers, all gathering in support of D’Tigress’s historic triumph
Earlier in the tournament, the National Sports Commission (NSC) led by Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko and Director General Bukola Olopade hosted D’Tigress in Abuja. In the opening ceremony ahead of the tournament, NSC leadership praised the team for their past successes (four AfroBasket titles in a row leading into the 2025 campaign) and urged them to go for a record-breaking fifth straight crown. The Commission quickly responded to the team’s requests for logistical and welfare support, reaffirming Nigeria’s investment in high-level female athletic performance
Following their semifinal comeback win over Senegal, Hon. Adeyinka Adeboye, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development, congratulated the team as embodiments of the Nigerian spirit resilient, focused, and unified. He said their performance was a “masterclass in belief, teamwork, and national pride” and assured them that the country stood behind them as they moved into the final
Indeed, D’Tigress had demonstrated exactly what Adeboye described. In the semifinals against Senegal, they overturned an eight-point third-quarter deficit with a decisive 23–10 fourth-quarter run to win 75–68, extending their AfroBasket winning streak to 28 games and cementing their place in the final
The honors ceremony built on a long tradition of governmental recognition for D’Tigress following continental success. In 2023, after their fourth consecutive AfroBasket title, the team was received by the First Lady at Aso Rock and hosted by the Sports Ministry in Abuja. That year, they were praised for discipline and excellence, and there were calls from basketball federation leaders and sporting stakeholders for formal national honors a call since fulfilled in 2025
In addition to the monetary and symbolic rewards, the government gesture serves multiple purposes. It recognizes the team’s unbroken dominance in African women’s basketball over the past decade, it raises the profile of female sports in Nigeria, and it sends a signal that women’s achievements in sports will be celebrated at the highest level. The presentation of a national honor Officer of the Order of the Niger elevates D’Tigress to a status comparable to icons in other fields such as business, academia, and public service
Moreover, the package of cash, housing, and national honors aligns with President Tinubu’s broader message of supporting sports. In speeches and public statements following the 2025 Super Falcons’ victory at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, he emphasized how national leadership must reward excellence in women’s sports in the same way as men’s sports creating a high standard of parity across all national teams
Technically, the recognition also serves practical functions: it provides financial security and motivation for players and staff ahead of World Cup qualifiers and future global competitions. Many athletes juggle domestic leagues and international tournaments, and the government’s support alleviates some of the financial pressures associated with elite sporting ambitions.
Federation President Musa Kida and NSC officials echoed the sentiment. They view this recognition as a deserved conclusion to a decade of sustained success. Under the leadership of coach Rena Wakama, D’Tigress have remained disciplined, well-coached, and cohesive earning praise from both FIBA and Nigerian officials. The honors ceremony reaffirmed national confidence in Wakama’s guidance as Nigeria continues its rise on both continental and global stages
In delivering the honors, Vice President Shettima remarked that D’Tigress’s victory over Mali in the final an impressive 78–64 showing further validated Nigeria’s position as basketball leaders in Africa and helped cement their qualification for global stages such as the 2026 Women’s Basketball World Cup
Finally, the magnitude of the rewards $100,000 per player, housing, and the Order of the Niger underscores the government’s perspective: this is not just a tournament win; it’s a chapter in Nigeria’s sporting legacy. High-level honors like these help reinforce gender parity in sports, attract investment in women’s game development, and inspire new generations to aspire to international excellence.
In summary, the Nigerian government’s reception and reward of D’Tigress was more than ceremonial it was strategic: a public celebration of five-time consecutive continental champions, a showcase of national pride in female athletic excellence, and a tangible recognition that achievement in women’s sports carries value on par with any other field.