AfroBasket victory: Tinubu gives D’Tigress players $100,000 each, national honours, flats

D’tigress celebrating

By KEMI KAYODE

President Bola Tinubu has conferred national honours on all players and the technical team of Nigeria’s women’s national basketball team, D’Tigress, following their historic fifth consecutive victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship.

Speaking during the presidential reception held at the Presidential Villa on Monday in their honour, President Tinubu, who was represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, awarded each player and technical crew member the title of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).

He also directed the allocation of one flat for each player, coach and technical crew member.

The President approved a cash award of the naira equivalent of $100,000 to each player, and $50,000 equivalent for the coach and each technical team member.

President Tinubu praised the team for becoming the first African team to qualify for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Pre-Qualifying Tournament.

“It is my profound honour and pleasure to welcome to the State House our remarkable Women’s National Basketball Team, D’Tigress – continental champions once more, and now the first African team to qualify for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Pre-Qualifying Tournament. You have conquered Africa and opened the door to global greatness,” the President said.

The President described the team’s emphatic 78-64 victory over Mali as more than just a game, calling it “a powerful statement of Nigerian resilience, tactical excellence, and national pride.”