FG fulfils promise as D’Tigress receive house documents, national honours in France

Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have received the official documents for houses allocated to them in Abuja as well as certificates confirming their national honours, fulfilling promises earlier made by President Bola Tinubu following their historic AfroBasket triumph.

The presentation took place on Monday in Lyon, France, where the African champions are currently competing at the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament.

The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko, and the Director General of the commission, Bukola Olopade, led other government officials to hand over the title documents and honours to the players and their officials.

The gesture fulfils part of the rewards announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after the team won a record-extending fifth consecutive title at the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, in August 2025.

At a reception held in their honour at the State House shortly after the triumph, the Federal Government announced that each player would receive $100,000, a national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), and houses in Abuja, while members of the coaching and technical crew were also awarded $50,000 and national honours.

Speaking during the presentation in Lyon on Monday, Mr Dikko described the move as evidence of a government committed to rewarding excellence in sports.

“I want to first of all thank Mr President for making sports work again in Nigeria and giving every Nigerian athlete a renewed confidence that sports can truly change their lives and put food on their table, because it’s not just a leisure but a serious business,” the NSC chairman was quoted in an official press statement by the Commission.

“Mr President is happy to give you girls these honours and houses because you have consistently placed Nigeria on the global map with your performance, your patriotic spirit, and your never-give-up mentality.”

Mr Dikko also assured the players that the financial component of the rewards would be paid soon.

According to him, “the money promised to them by the President is almost in the final stage for disbursement, and that too will soon drop in their respective bank Accounts.”

Mr Olopade said the prompt fulfilment of the promise reflects a renewed approach to sports administration in the country.

“Mr President is a rewarder, and his reward system is already yielding tremendous results in sports, and fulfilling his promise to you girls on time is another testament to the priority he places on Nigerian sports,” he said.

“Like what I often say, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, be assured that when you do well for the country, just know a grateful and thankful Nation is waiting for you,” he added.

President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Musa Kida, also commended the President for prioritising athletes’ welfare.

He noted that the gesture would inspire Nigerian sportsmen and women to continue striving for excellence as they represent the country on the international stage.

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The team’s head coach, Rena Wakama, expressed appreciation on behalf of the technical crew and players.

She said the team remains grateful for the support shown by the Federal Government and assured Nigerians that the players would continue to give their best.

Team captain Amy Okonkwo also conveyed the players’ gratitude to the President, promising that the team would continue to represent the country with pride.

Focus on World Cup qualifiers

The presentation comes as D’Tigress continue their campaign at the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in France.

Nigeria entered the tournament as African champions after defeating Mali 78–64 in the final of the 2025 AfroBasket championship in Abidjan, securing a fifth consecutive continental title and extending their remarkable unbeaten run in the competition.

Although the team has already secured qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup scheduled to take place in Berlin, Germany, the qualifying tournament in Lyon serves as an important platform for coach Wakama’s side to fine-tune their preparations ahead of the global event.

D’Tigress have shown mixed results in the competition so far, recording victories against Colombia and the Philippines while also suffering defeats to South Korea and hosts France.

Despite the mixed outcomes, the team’s performances have underlined their resilience and competitive spirit as they continue preparations for the World Cup later this year.