_Commission urges team to go for 5-peat_
Ahead of their title defense at the 29th FIBA Women’s Afrobasket Championship, Reigning African champions, Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, “D’Tigress” paid a courtesy visit to the leadership of the National Sports Commission (NSC).
The team was hosted in Abuja on Tuesday by the NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade. D’Tigress, who have emerged victorious in the last four editions of the continental showpiece, were warmly received and celebrated by the Commission for their consistency and excellence on the African stage.
Chairman of the NSC, Mallam Shehu Dikko stated thus: “D’Tigress have made Nigeria proud on numerous occasions, and we remain firmly behind them. Winning four straight Afrobasket titles is no small feat, and the entire nation is rooting for you to make it five. You are not just champions, you are role models to a lot of young girls in Africa.”
Dikko went ahead to ask the team to table their immediate needs as they get set to jet out for their title defence. The Commission wasted no time in approving the requests presented by the players, underscoring the Commission’s commitment to athlete welfare.
Hon. Bukola Olopade lauded the team for being a beacon of hope and inspiration, assuring them of the nation’s full support, as they gear up to defend their crown in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from July 25th to August 3rd.
“What D’Tigress have achieved is not just about the titles they’ve won, it’s also about building a legacy for themselves that speaks to courage, preparation, and unity. This team has turned pressure into purpose and shown that Nigerian excellence is no fluke. The NSC will continue to match their ambition with the right support, because they’ve earned more than applause,” Hon. Olopade said.
Also present at the event were key stakeholders in the Nigerian sports ecosystem, including the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports, Adeboye Adeyinka Anthony; Director General of the National Institute of Sports, Rt. Hon. Phillip Shuaibu; President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Habu Gumel; head of Elite Athlete Development and Podium Board, Yusuf Alli; and the 2nd Vice President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Miss Aku Aghazu.
The 29th edition of the Women’s Afrobasket will feature 12 countries battling for continental glory. Nigeria heads into the tournament as the defending champions, having defeated Senegal 84–74 in the 2023 final in Kigali, Rwanda.
The D’Tigress also triumphed over Senegal in 2017 and 2019, and beat Mali in the 2021 final, asserting dominance on the continent over the past decade.
