ABUJA, August 4, 2025 — Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has been celebrated in a big way after their historic win at the 2025 Women’s Afrobasket Championship in Côte d’Ivoire.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rewarded each member of the team with a national honour, $100,000 (about ₦150 million), and a flat in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. Members of the team’s technical crew were also given $50,000 each in recognition of their efforts.
The announcement was made on Monday at a special reception held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where Vice President Kashim Shettima represented President Tinubu.
A Record-Breaking Victory
D’Tigress defeated Mali 78–64 in the final match on Sunday, held at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan. With this win, Nigeria became the first country in history to win the Women’s Afrobasket title five times in a row (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, and now 2025).
Their victory also earned them an automatic qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, Germany.
National Recognition
At the event, all players and team officials were awarded the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) — a prestigious national honour usually given to people who have made significant contributions to Nigeria.
Vice President Shettima, speaking on behalf of the president, praised the athletes for their determination, unity, and patriotism.
“D’Tigress has made Nigeria proud. Their success shows what Nigerian women can achieve when given the chance. We are honouring not just their talent, but their commitment to raising our national flag high,” he said.
Who Was at the Ceremony?
Several top government officials were also present at the event, including:
- Oluremi Tinubu, First Lady of Nigeria
- Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President
- Senator Garba Maidoki, Chairman, Senate Committee on Youths and Sports Development
- Kabiru Amadou, Chairman, House Committee on Sports
Why It Matters
This gesture mirrors the recognition recently given to the Super Falcons, Nigeria’s women’s football team, showing the government’s support for female athletes and sports development.
For many young Nigerians, especially girls, the D’Tigress story is not just about basketball — it’s about hard work, national pride, and the belief that greatness can be achieved with the right support.
Bottom Line: D’Tigress made history, made the nation proud — and now they’ve been rewarded not just with medals, but with national honours, life-changing cash rewards, and homes.
