AfroBasket Triumph: Zenith Bank Celebrates D’Tigress With N200m Reward

Zenith Bank Plc, sponsors of the Women’s National Basketball League, hosted a grand reception yesterday at their Abuja head office in Maitama, celebrating the remarkable achievement of Nigeria’s senior national women basketball team, D’Tigress. The team secured a record fifth consecutive AfroBasket title, and in recognition of their success, they were rewarded with N200 million.

Each player will receive N10 million, which will be deposited into their Zenith Bank accounts, while the rest of the sum will be distributed among the technical staff and other team members. The D’Tigress, who triumphed over Mali with a score of 78-64 in the final held in Abidjan on Sunday, returned to the country on Monday afternoon, where they were received by President Bola Tinubu, who awarded them National Honours of OON along with cash gifts.

Zenith Bank has been a sponsor of the national women’s league for 18 years, with many of the current players, including Murjanatu Musa, the MVP of the 2022 league-winning Air Warriors team, and Ifunnaya Okoro, having developed their skills in the league. The team’s current coach, Rena Wakama, also played as part of the First Bank Women’s Basketball team in the league.

Among those present at the reception were several executive directors of Zenith Bank, including Adobi Nwapa, Akin Ogunranti, Henry Oroh, and Louis Odom, who expressed their gratitude to the D’Tigress for their exceptional performance.

Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, and Musa Kida, President of the NBBF, along with several board members, also attended the vibrant event.

The group managing director/CEO of Zenith Bank, Dr. Adaora Umeoji OON, praised the D’Tigress for their outstanding achievement, reaffirming the bank’s ongoing support for women’s basketball in Nigeria and expressing hope for the team’s success on the global stage.

“Your victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket is not just a triumph for Nigeria; it is a victory for African sports,” she stated. “At Zenith Bank, we celebrate your success—not merely as supporters but as long-standing partners in the advancement of women’s basketball in Nigeria. I hereby reaffirm Zenith Bank’s unwavering commitment to promoting women’s basketball and enhancing sports development across the country.”

In response to the generous gesture, team captain and AfroBasket Most Valuable Player, Amy Okonkwo, expressed the team’s gratitude to the financial institution for its pivotal role in supporting women’s basketball in Nigeria.