President Bola Tinubu has showered the victorious Nigerian senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, with a cash reward of $100,000 each, alongside a brand-new apartment, in recognition of their triumph at the recently concluded Women’s AfroBasket Championship.
The president also awarded the prestigious national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) to every player on the team. The gesture is seen as part of Tinubu’s broader commitment to celebrating excellence in Nigerian sports, especially on the international stage.
Not left out of the reward package are the coaches of the team, each of whom will receive $50,000 for their role in guiding the team to glory. D’Tigress recently secured their fifth consecutive AfroBasket title with a dominant performance against Mali, further cementing their status as Africa’s basketball powerhouse.
This lavish reward follows closely on the heels of a similar gesture towards the Super Falcons, who received $100,000 each after their recent continental success. However, that move sparked controversy across the country, with questions raised about priorities and equity in sports funding.
D’Tigress’ latest AfroBasket win extended their unbeaten streak in the tournament to 29 matches and secured them qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Germany.
