By Asaye Bankole
Members of Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have received the naira equivalent of $100,000 each as part of the Federal Government’s reward for their outstanding performance at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket.
The National Sports Commission confirmed that the cash component of the Presidential Reward was paid into the accounts of the beneficiaries on September 9, 2026, with the players and officials confirming receipt of the funds.
In addition to the players’ payment, members of the team’s technical and support staff received the naira equivalent of $50,000 each.
The reward follows D’Tigress’ remarkable achievement of winning the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket title, their fifth consecutive championship and seventh overall continental crown.
The NSC said the latest payment completes the various components of the reward package announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in recognition of the team’s historic achievement.
According to the commission, the Presidential Reward package included three-bedroom apartments in Abuja, national honours and cash awards for the players and officials.
The players were allocated the equivalent of $100,000 each, while members of the technical and support team were entitled to $50,000 each.
The commission explained that the players and officials had earlier received title documents for their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja, alongside certificates of national honours, during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers held in Lyon, France, in February 2026.
The documents were reportedly signed by President Tinubu as part of the Federal Government’s recognition of the team’s contribution to Nigerian sports.
The cash component was subsequently processed following the team’s participation in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Germany, with the NSC confirming that the payments had now been completed.
In a statement signed by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Kehinde Ajayi, the commission said the reward demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to recognising exceptional sporting performances and improving the welfare of Nigerian athletes.
The NSC also disclosed that members of Nigeria’s senior women’s football team, the Super Falcons, had received title documents for their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja as well as certificates of national honours under a similar Presidential Reward scheme.
The Falcons received the documents during the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Morocco between July and August.
The commission said the cash component of the Falcons’ reward was expected to be paid before their next official engagements.
Under the package, each player is entitled to the naira equivalent of $100,000, while each official is to receive $50,000.
The NSC described the reward programme as part of broader efforts by the Federal Government to strengthen athletes’ welfare and ensure that major sporting achievements are adequately recognised and rewarded.
It added that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration and its efforts to develop a more sustainable sports economy in Nigeria.
The commission also commended President Tinubu for his continued support for Nigerian sports, noting that government policies and interventions had helped advance ongoing reforms within the sector.
It further recognised the contributions of the Ministers of Finance, the Federal Capital Territory, Housing and Urban Development, Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, as well as the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, in facilitating the implementation of the reward package.
According to the NSC, the cooperation among the relevant government institutions ensured that the Presidential Rewards were processed in line with due process and delivered within the required timeframe.
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