Just Like Super Falcons, Tinubu Rewards D’Tigress After Historic AfroBasket Win – Full List of Rewards

President Tinubu rewarded D’Tigress with national honours, $100,000 each, and a flat after their historic AfroBasket win.

President Bola Tinubu on Monday evening conferred national honours and cash awards on players and officials of Nigeria’s women’s national basketball team, D’Tigress, following their historic fifth consecutive victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

During a presidential reception at the State House in Abuja, the president—represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima—awarded each player and technical crew member the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).

He also announced the allocation of a flat to each team member and coach, alongside a cash reward of $100,000 (in naira equivalent) for each player, and $50,000 for the coaches and technical officials.

Tinubu praised the team for becoming the first African team to qualify for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Pre-Qualifying Tournament, describing their 78-64 victory over Mali as “a powerful statement of Nigerian resilience, tactical excellence, and national pride.”

“You wore the green and white not just as colours, but as a symbol of conviction and hope,” he said. “You are now queens of African basketball for the fifth consecutive time.”

The president gave special commendation to Coach Rena Wakama, calling her a trailblazer for Nigerian women in sports leadership.

“Your quiet strength and historic achievements have shattered ceilings and inspired countless young girls nationwide. You truly deserve your award as the best coach in Africa and the world,” Tinubu noted.

He also recognised Amy Okonkwo, who was named MVP of the tournament, and Ezinne Kalu, the top scorer in the final.

“You played not for yourselves, but for Nigeria,” Tinubu added. “Nigerian women have never failed this country in sports. From football to track and now basketball, they’ve made us proud.”

Reaffirming his administration’s support for sports, Tinubu said sports would be repositioned as a pillar of national development and economic empowerment.

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“Sport is not just entertainment. It is infrastructure, education, diplomacy, youth employment and global engagement,” he said.

He thanked the National Sports Commission (NSC) led by Shehu Dikko, and the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBF) under Amadu Muda Kida, for their roles in nurturing the team.

First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu also applauded the victory, calling it a defining moment for Nigerian girls and women.

“This isn’t just a win on the court. It is a victory for every Nigerian girl with a dream,” she said, noting the team’s back-to-back win comes shortly after the Super Falcons’ WAFCON 2024 triumph in Morocco.

NSC Chairman Shehu Dikko described the D’Tigress win as a “symbol of women’s excellence on the global stage”, highlighting their 29-game unbeaten run in AfroBasket competitions.

He also praised Coach Wakama for becoming the first African woman to lead a team to back-to-back AfroBasket victories and acknowledged Nigeria’s continued global presence in sports, including the U-19 women’s basketball team’s World Cup appearance in the Czech Republic, and the ongoing participation of university athletes in Germany.

Dikko further hinted at the upcoming campaign of D’Tigers, the men’s basketball team, in Angola, expressing hope for another trophy celebration soon.

In her remarks, Team Captain Amy Okonkwo, who also won the MVP award, expressed gratitude to the president and First Lady for their support.

“We are proud to represent Nigeria, and we hope our success inspires young girls around the world to believe in their dreams through sports,” she said.