Victory Honoured! Tinubu Rolls Out Presidential Welcome for D’Tigress After AfroBasket Glory

President Bola Tinubu has formally celebrated Nigeria’s national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, following their historic triumph at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship. The event, held at the State House in Abuja, was presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima on behalf of the President.

According to iReporter Online, the reception took place Monday evening inside the New Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa and was graced by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the President’s Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The victorious team, accompanied by their coaching staff led by Head Coach Rena Wakama, was welcomed shortly before 5 p.m.

D’Tigress earned their seventh AfroBasket title—and an unprecedented fifth consecutive championship—after defeating Mali 78–64 in the final held at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The win cements Nigeria’s status as a powerhouse in African women’s basketball and reinforces the team’s dominance on the continental stage.

The Presidential reception comes just days after a similar ceremony was held in honor of the Super Falcons, who secured their tenth Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Rabat, Morocco.

Meanwhile, forward Amy Okonkwo has been named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2025 AfroBasket tournament. The 28-year-old becomes only the second Nigerian player to win the MVP title back-to-back, following in the footsteps of Mfon Udoka, who earned the accolade in 2003 and 2005.

The federal government’s public recognition of D’Tigress underscores a growing national appreciation for the achievements of Nigerian women in sports, particularly at a time when the country’s female athletes continue to elevate the nation’s standing on international platforms.