Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has been honoured with Order of the Niger (OON) national awards, a cash prize of $100,000 each, and a housing gift, following their record-breaking fifth consecutive victory at the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship.
At a grand reception held in Abuja on Monday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, commended the team’s exceptional performance and reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to rewarding sporting excellence.
In addition to the players’ prizes, members of the coaching and technical team, led by Coach Rena Wakama, each received $50,000 in appreciation for their leadership and tactical brilliance throughout the tournament.
The celebratory gesture comes after D’Tigress defeated Mali 78-64 in a thrilling final match, extending their AfroBasket dominance with a seventh title overall and their 29th straight win since 2015 — an unbeaten run that confirms their status as the most formidable women’s basketball team on the African continent.
In the final showdown, Amy Okonkwo and Ezinne Kalu led Nigeria’s offensive push, scoring 19 and 20 points respectively. The duo was instrumental in turning the tide during the second and third quarters, supported by strong showings from Promise Amukamara, Victoria Macaulay, and Musa, who added 9 points and 4 rebounds.
Despite a slow start, D’Tigress showed resilience, regrouping to level the game 41-41 at halftime. A decisive third quarter and dominant defence helped Nigeria outscore Mali 20-15, and maintain control into the final quarter.
The government’s gesture mirrors a similar reward recently given to the Super Falcons, who were celebrated after clinching Nigeria’s 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco.
President Tinubu hailed the triumph as not just a sporting victory but a symbol of the strength, discipline, and excellence that Nigerian women bring to the global stage.
