Zenith Bank Plc, long-time sponsor of the Women’s National Basketball League, hosted Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, at its Abuja Head Office in Maitama on Tuesday, in celebration of the team’s unprecedented fifth consecutive AfroBasket title.
At the well-attended reception, the bank announced a generous reward of ₦200 million to the team in recognition of their historic triumph at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Each player will receive ₦10 million, to be credited into their Zenith Bank accounts, while the remaining sum will be shared among the technical crew and support staff.
D’Tigress defeated Mali 78–64 in the final on Sunday, August 3, to retain the AfroBasket title for the fifth time in a row, a continental record.
Upon their return to Nigeria on Monday, the team was hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who conferred national honours (OON) and financial rewards on the players and coaching staff in recognition of their outstanding performance.
Zenith Bank’s commitment to women’s basketball spans over 18 years through its consistent sponsorship of the Women’s National Basketball League.
Notably, several current national team members have risen through the ranks of this league, including Murjanatu Musa, MVP of the Air Warriors team that won the league in 2022, and Ifunanya Okoro. Head coach Rena Wakama is also a product of the league, having once played for the First Bank Women’s Basketball Team.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, praised the team’s commitment, resilience, and excellence on the international stage.
“Your victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket is not just a win for Nigeria, it is a win for African sports,” she said. “At Zenith Bank, we are not just celebrating your success today as supporters, but as longstanding partners in the development of women’s basketball in Nigeria.”
Dr. Umeoji reaffirmed the bank’s unwavering commitment to supporting the sport: “We remain dedicated to advancing women’s basketball and promoting holistic sports development across Nigeria.”
In her remarks, team captain and AfroBasket MVP, Amy Okonkwo, expressed heartfelt appreciation to Zenith Bank on behalf of her teammates.
“We are deeply grateful to Zenith Bank for its steadfast support over the years. Their investment in women’s basketball has played a huge role in our growth and success as a team,” she said.
Also present at the event were Zenith Bank Executive Directors Adobi Nwapa, Akin Ogunranti, Henry Oroh, and Louis Odom, who commended the team’s extraordinary achievement.
Other dignitaries in attendance included Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko; President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Musa Kida; and several board members of the federation.
The reception marked yet another milestone in Zenith Bank’s enduring partnership with Nigerian women’s basketball and reinforced the bank’s role as a key enabler of sports excellence in the country.
