FG Honours D’Tigress with National Awards, $100,000, Flats After Historic AfroBasket Win

The Federal Government has conferred national honours of the Order of the Niger (OON) on Nigeria’s female basketball team, D’Tigress, in recognition of their extraordinary achievement at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship.

Each player of the victorious squad received a $100,000 cash reward and a flat, while members of the technical crew, led by Coach Rena Wakama, were rewarded with $50,000 each.

President Bola Tinubu made the announcement on Monday evening during a reception held in honour of the team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The gesture comes in celebration of D’Tigress’ unprecedented fifth consecutive AfroBasket championship title, marking their dominance on the African basketball scene.

Just last week, the President similarly honoured the Super Falcons for their historic 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title win in Morocco, underlining the government’s renewed commitment to recognizing excellence in Nigerian sports.

In Sunday’s final, Nigeria defeated Mali 78–64 in a tense and tactical encounter. The victory earned the team its seventh AfroBasket title and extended their winning streak to 29 straight games, a remarkable run that began in 2015.

Despite a slow start, D’Tigress rallied in the second and third quarters, with standout performances from key players. Ezinne Kalu led with 20 points, while Amy Okonkwo contributed 19. Promise Amukamara and Victoria Macaulay added valuable support, with Musa scoring nine crucial points and grabbing four rebounds.

The third quarter proved decisive, as Nigeria tightened their defence to outscore Mali 20–15. By the start of the fourth quarter, the team had built a five-point lead, which they expanded to secure the title.

D’Tigress’ consistent dominance has firmly established them as Africa’s most formidable women’s basketball team, and their recent triumph only solidifies their legacy.