President Bola Ahmed Tinubu says the Federal Government has completed the reward package promised to D’Tigress after Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team won its continental title.
Quick facts
- Each D’Tigress official received the naira equivalent of $50,000, along with houses and national honours.
- Outstanding cash payments for the Super Falcons are being finalised.
Tinubu announced that all commitments to D’Tigress had now been met. Each player received the naira equivalent of $100,000, while officials were paid the equivalent of $50,000.
The package also included national honours and three-bedroom homes in Abuja, completing the presidential rewards promised to the team.
The President described the settlement as the first occasion on which a Federal Government had delivered sporting rewards of such scale within one year. He admitted, however, that the process had taken longer than initially anticipated.
Legal and administrative procedures had to be followed before each pledge could be implemented, Tinubu said. Although that caused delays, he stressed that government commitments must ultimately be honoured.
He also provided an update on benefits due to other national teams. Super Falcons players and officials have received the title documents for their allocated homes as well as certificates confirming their national honours, while the team’s cash payments are still being completed.
Tinubu added that the Super Eagles had already received the houses and national honours that were promised to their players.
The President said Nigerian athletes should receive more than public praise after achieving success for the country. He called for a nation that fulfils its obligations to those who represent it.
He urged the athletes to continue pursuing excellence internationally, promising that those who make Nigeria proud will return to a grateful country. Tinubu congratulated them again and said the nation was proud of their accomplishments.
