ABUJA: Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has been honoured by the Federal Government for their remarkable achievement of winning the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship for the fifth consecutive time.
Each player was presented with the Order of the Niger (OON) national award, a cash prize of $100,000, and a flat, while the technical team members, led by Coach Rena Wakama, received $50,000 each.
The announcement came during a special reception hosted by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday.
The president was represented by his wife, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
D’Tigress claimed their seventh AfroBasket title after a thrilling 78–64 win over Mali in the final held on Sunday.
The victory extends their unbeaten streak in the competition to 29 consecutive wins since 2015, underscoring their dominance in African women’s basketball.
Key players Amy Okonkwo and Ezinne Kalu starred in the final, scoring 19 and 20 points respectively.
Their leadership on the court, alongside important contributions from Promise Amukamara, Victoria Macaulay, and Musa, helped Nigeria pull away in the decisive third quarter.
Before reaching the final, D’Tigress had to battle hard to defeat Senegal 75–68 in what was dubbed the “final before the final.
The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, praised the team for inspiring young girls across the nation and applauded their hard work and resilience.
This recognition follows similar national honours recently bestowed on the Super Falcons, Nigeria’s women’s football team, after their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations triumph in Morocco.
Notable Attendees at the Reception
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Shehu Dikko, Chairman, National Sports Commission
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Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President
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Nana Shettima, Wife of the Vice President
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Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs
