Like Falcons, D’Tigress eye ₦150m Tinubu reward ahead of AfroBasket final

D.O. Akintoye 14:01 - 03 August 2025

The D’Tigress’ final hurdle is a determined Malian side seeking only their second Afrobasket title and their first in nearly two decades.

Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, are riding high in confidence as they prepare for the final of the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket Championship, and many are hoping that a win could come with a presidential splurge.

The team booked their place in the final after a gritty 75–68 victory over Senegal in the semi-finals. They’ll face Mali on Sunday at 7 pm WAT at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

D’Tigress are chasing a fifth straight title and seventh overall, which would further solidify their reign as the dominant force in African women’s basketball.

However, their final hurdle is a determined Malian side seeking only their second Afrobasket title and their first in nearly two decades.

ALSO READ: Adamawa Gov gifts Super Falcons coach Madugu house, N50m for WAFCON success

Beyond the trophy, attention is also focused on President Bola Tinubu, as players and fans alike anticipate a presidential reward similar to the one recently given to the Super Falcons after their Women's African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2025 triumph in Morocco.

The Falcons were handsomely rewarded with $100,000 (approximately ₦150 million) each, while members of the technical crew received $50,000. The team was also conferred with the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) and awarded three-bedroom apartments under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme.

However, the generous gesture sparked widespread debate across the country, with some Nigerians questioning the timing and scale of the rewards amid economic challenges. Others hailed the recognition as long-overdue appreciation for women in sports.

Banking on a similar outcome, D’Tigress took to social media with a playful message that captured the mood in camp.

Posting a dancing meme, the team’s official X (formerly Twitter) account cheekily wrote: “One more to go @afrobasketwomen Practicing $100k dance for @officialABAT”