President Tinubu Welcomes and Rewards D’Tigress
President Tinubu Rewards D’Tigress with $100,000, National Honour, Houses
By David Peter
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR , has received and rewarded D’Tigress, Nigeria’s female basketball team, with Order of the Niger (OON) national honours, with each of the players a whopping sum of $100,000 and a flat.
Additionally, Members of the Coach Rena Makama-led technical team also got $50,000 each.
This was disclosed when the President hosted the team on Monday, August 4, 2025 at the Presidential Villa following the team’s unprecedented fifth consecutive #AfroBasketWomen victory.
The President described the team’s emphatic 78-64 victory over Mali as more than just a game, calling it “a powerful statement of Nigerian resilience, tactical excellence, and national pride.”
“You fought back from behind in the first quarter, not with panic but poise. You wore the green and white not just as colours, but as a symbol of conviction and hope. And now, you wear the crown as queens of African basketball for the fifth consecutive time,” he stated.
Your quiet strength and historic achievements have shattered ceilings and inspired countless young girls nationwide, who now know that no dream is too bold for a Nigerian woman. Indeed, you deserved your award as the best coach in Africa and the world,” he stated.
He also recognised the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), Amy Okonkwo, and top scorer in the final, Ezinne Kalu, saying, “To Amy Okonkwo, the tournament MVP, and Ezinne Kalu, top scorer in the final, your brilliance elevated the entire team. But most importantly, you did not play for yourselves. You played for and won with Nigeria.
“Let me take a moment to reflect on a greater truth. Nigerian women have never failed this nation in sports. From the Super Falcons standing tall.
