D’Tigress Rewarded While D’Tigers Face Funding Crisis

D’Tigress, Nigeria’s women’s national basketball team, achieved a historic fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title in 2025, receiving substantial rewards from President Bola Tinubu, including $100,000 for each player and $50,000 for officials, along with three-bedroom apartments in Abuja. In contrast, D’Tigers have struggled with funding issues that jeopardized their participation in major competitions.

In February 2024, they withdrew from the opening window of the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket qualifiers due to a lack of government funding, with reports indicating that flight tickets to Tunisia were not secured. Although the situation was resolved with intervention from then Sports Minister John Enoh, the underlying vulnerability persisted.

During the July 2026 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers in Luanda, D’Tigers faced administrative problems related to unpaid accommodation and participation fees, despite their on-court success. This situation highlights the need for a more reliable funding and administrative system for Nigeria's national basketball programs.