The Federal Government has paid the naira equivalent of $100,000 to each player of Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, as part of the Presidential Reward for Securing a record 5 consecutive FIBA Women’s Afrobasket Trophy.
The National Sports Commission also confirmed the payment of the naira equivalent of $50,000 to each member of the team’s technical and administrative staff. The accounts of the players and technical officials were recently credited, with the NSC confirming that all recipients had received the funds.
D’Tigress won the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket title for a record fifth consecutive time and seventh overall in 2025.
In a statement signed by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Kehinde Ajayi, on Wednesday, the NSC said the payment completed all components of the rewards promised to the team by President Bola Tinubu.
The Presidential Rewards comprised three-bedroom flats in Abuja, national honours of the Order of the Niger (OON) and cash payments of the naira equivalent of $100,000 for each player and $50,000 for each official.
“With the payment, the entire presidential rewards promised to each member of the team by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR comprising a 3-Bedroom flat in Abuja, national honours of OON and Naira equivalent of $100,000 to players and $50,000 to officials have been fully redeemed and completed,” the statement said.
The commission recalled that the players and officials received the title documents for their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja and certificates of national honours during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in Lyon, France. The cash component of the reward was paid following the team’s participation in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Germany.
The NSC also disclosed that the Super Falcons, who were similarly promised Presidential Rewards, had received title documents for their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja and certificates of national honours.
The documents were presented to the players during the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in July and August 2026.
However, the cash component of the Falcons’ reward is yet to be paid, with the NSC saying it is expected to be disbursed before the team’s next official engagements. The Super Falcons were promised the same cash rewards as D’Tigress — the naira equivalent of $100,000 for each player and $50,000 for each official.
The NSC said the rewards were part of the Federal Government’s efforts to prioritize the welfare and recognition of Nigerian athletes. “This unprecedented rewards to the players and athletes by the Federal Government of Nigeria is in alignment with the Renewed Hope initiative and Shared Prosperity agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR which places athletes’ welfare and appropriate rewards top on the priority list,” the statement said.
The commission thanked President Tinubu for his support for Nigerian sports, saying his policies had provided impetus to its reform agenda and efforts to develop a sustainable sports economy.
Also the contributions of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation in implementing the rewards, were acknowledged.
The NSC said the collaboration ensured that the Presidential Rewards were implemented “in record time within the due process requirements.
