President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the full payment of the cash rewards promised members of Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, following their outstanding performance at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket.
Tinubu said each player has received the naira equivalent of $100,000, while officials of the team received the equivalent of $50,000.
The President disclosed this in a statement shared on social media on Thursday.
“Today, the rewards I promised our D’Tigress have been fully redeemed,” Tinubu said.
“Each player has received the naira equivalent of $100,000, while each official has received the equivalent of $50,000, completing their package of cash rewards, national honours and three-bedroom homes in Abuja.”
According to the President, the Federal Government had to complete the necessary legal and administrative processes before releasing the funds, which accounted for the time taken to fulfil the cash aspect of the promise.
“For the first time, a Federal Government has fulfilled this scale of presidential sporting rewards in full within one year. We had to follow the processes required by law and ensure that every commitment was properly implemented. That took time, but a promise made must be a promise kept,” he said.
D’Tigress secured the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket title, extending their dominance in African women’s basketball with a fifth consecutive championship and seventh title overall.
Following the historic achievement, Tinubu announced a package of rewards for the players and officials, including cash, national honours and three-bedroom homes in Abuja.
The National Sports Commission had confirmed that the cash payments were made on September 9, 2026, with the players and officials acknowledging receipt of the funds.
The commission said the payment completed all the presidential rewards promised to the team.
Tinubu also disclosed that the Federal Government was working to complete the outstanding cash payments promised to members and officials of the Super Falcons, Nigeria’s senior women’s football team.
“We are also concluding the outstanding cash rewards for our Super Falcons,” he said.
The President said the Super Falcons had already received title documents for their house allocations and certificates for their national honours, while similar commitments made to members of the Super Eagles had also been fulfilled.
“The Super Falcons players and officials have already received the title documents to their house allocations and National Honours certificates. Likewise, the promise of houses and national honours I made to Super Eagles players has since been redeemed,” Tinubu said.
“Our athletes who bring honour to Nigeria deserve more than applause. They deserve a country that keeps its word,” the President added.
Tinubu also restated his message to Nigerian athletes, urging them to continue representing the country with distinction.
“My promise to every Nigerian Athelete is make NIGERIA proud, and come back to a grateful Nation,” he said.
The payment follows an earlier commitment by the administration to reward athletes who record major achievements for Nigeria.
The players and officials had earlier received title documents for their three-bedroom apartments and certificates for their national honours.
Those documents were presented to the team in February during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in Lyon, France, with the certificates and property documents signed by the President.
At the time, National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko said the cash component was at the final stage and would subsequently be paid.
Dikko had thanked Tinubu for supporting Nigerian sports and said the President’s approach was helping restore confidence among athletes.
NSC Director-General Bukola Olopade also said the reward system demonstrated the administration’s commitment to improving athletes’ welfare and encouraging Nigerians competing at the highest level.
