President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the full payment of presidential rewards promised to Nigeria’s D’Tigress, the senior women’s basketball team, marking what he described as the first time a Federal Government has fulfilled such a scale of sporting rewards within a single year.
In a statement on Thursday, Tinubu said each player had received the naira equivalent of $100,000, while officials received $50,000 each, completing a package that also includes 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,” the President said. “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.”
Tinubu also disclosed that outstanding cash rewards for the Super Falcons are being finalised. According to him, the Super Falcons players and officials have already received title documents for their house allocations along with their National Honours certificates. He added that the housing and honours promised to the Super Eagles have similarly been fulfilled.
The President described the gestures as a matter of national obligation rather than goodwill.
“Our athletes who bring honour to Nigeria deserve more than applause,” he said. “They deserve a country that keeps its word.”
He restated his message to the country’s sportsmen and women: “My promise to every Nigerian athlete is: make Nigeria proud, and come back to a grateful nation.”
Tinubu closed with congratulations to the athletes. “Congratulations once again, our athletes. Nigeria is proud of you,” he said.
