‘This is truly life-changing…’ Amy Okonkwo hails Tinubu as D’Tigress receive $100,000 reward

D’Tigress captain Amy Okonkwo has described the fulfilment of President Bola Tinubu’s financial reward promise to the team as “truly life-changing” after each player received the naira equivalent of $100,000.

The payment completes the presidential reward package promised to the team following their record fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title in 2025.

The package includes three-bedroom apartments in Abuja, national honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) and the cash reward.

Reacting to the development, Okonkwo thanked President Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, the NSC and the Nigeria Basketball Federation for their support.

“On behalf of the entire Women’s Senior National Team, the D-Tigrees, I want to sincerely thank our dear President, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the incredible show of love and support. Mr. President, you’ve fulfilled every promise made to us after our AfroBasket victory, the houses, the national honors, and now the financial rewards. This is truly life-changing for all of us. We are more than grateful to you and to our dear country, Nigeria. To our dear First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, thank you for your continuous love, encouragement, and support. You have been more than a First Lady to us. You have been a mother who genuinely cares about the D’Tigrees. We are also deeply grateful to the leadership of the National Sports Commission, Chairman Malam Shehu Diko, and the DG Honorable Bukola Olopade for standing by us and making sure the promises made to us become a reality. Your sense of commitment in supporting us has truly touched our hearts.”

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Okonkwo also praised NBBF President Musa Kida for his support of the team.

“We are also very appreciative of the NBBF and our president, Engineer Musa Kida, for believing in us, standing with us, and keeping faith with the D Tigris for all these years. We are truly grateful for your unwavering support. We are living witnesses that Nigeria will always reward good performance and that the Nigerian Sports Administration has taken a major positive shift. Today, we can proudly say that we truly have a sports-loving President.”

The NSC said the cash payment means the Federal Government has now fully redeemed the rewards promised to D’Tigress.

The players and officials had received their certificates of national honours and title documents for their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja in February 2026 during the FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifiers in Lyon, France.

President Tinubu said the completion of the rewards followed the processes required by law.

“Today, the rewards I promised our D’Tigress have been fully redeemed.

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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.
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.”

The President also said the outstanding cash rewards for the Super Falcons were being concluded.

The development follows D’Tigress’ disappointing World Cup campaign in Germany, where they suffered three straight group-stage defeats.

Kida urged the team to move on from the setback and focus on returning to their winning ways.

“One bad tournament in eight years can not condemn a great team, as mischief makers would want Nigerians to believe, ” Kida stated emphatically.

Okonkwo ended her message by thanking Nigerians for their continued support.

“Finally, we wish to thank all Nigerians for us and for who believed in us. You did not only cheer us on, you gave us a greater belief in our dear country, Nigeria. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you to all of our leaders. Thank you, Nigeria. We are grateful. God bless you all and God bless our dear country, Nigeria.”