Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko says cash rewards promised players, coaches and officials of the women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ‘will soon drop in their bank accounts.’
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Sports247 gathered that Dikko made the declaration Monday in Lyon, France, where he handed over national awards and house documents that had also been promised the team by the president after they won the African title last year.
Dikko was joined by the NSC’s director-general, Honourable Bukola Olopade and some government officials to hand over the documents a day before the team’s last match at the ongoing FIBA Women’s World Cup qualification tournament.
He explained that the gesture fulfils part of rewards announced by President Tinubu after the team won a record-extending fifth consecutive title at the African FIBA Women’s Championship (AfroBasket 2025) last August in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Tinubu announced at a grand reception for the team in Abuja that each player will get $100,000, Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) awards and houses in Abuja, while coaches and officials were promised $50,000 and national honours.
With 70% of the president’s promise now fulfilled, Dikko added during the presentations on Monday that the move is another evidence of giant efforts being made by the federal government, which is committed to rewarding excellence in sports.
Dikko said, “I want to thank Mr President for making sports work again in Nigeria and giving Nigerian athletes renewed confidence that sports can change their lives and put food on their table, because it’s not just a leisure but a serious business.
“Mr President is happy to give you girls these honours and houses because you have consistently placed Nigeria on the global map with your performance, your patriotic spirit, and your never-give-up mentality.”
Regarding the cash aspect of the rewards, Dikko disclosed: “The money promised to them by the President is almost in the final stage for disbursement, and that too will soon drop in their respective bank accounts.”
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