Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — In a show of corporate solidarity and national pride, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC Ltd., has hosted Africa’s undisputed queens of basketball, D’Tigress, to a celebratory reception following their historic triumph at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The Nigerian women’s basketball team, who defeated Mali 78-64 in the finals to clinch their fifth consecutive AfroBasket title and seventh overall, were received at the NNPC Towers in Abuja by the Company’s Board and top management led by its Chairman, Engr. Musa Ahmadu Kida.
Engr. Kida, who also doubles as President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, hailed the team’s resilience, consistency and record-breaking dominance on the continent.
“This is more than a victory. it’s a legacy. To win five championships in a row, and remain unbeaten for over a decade in Africa, is a phenomenal achievement. You have made Nigeria proud beyond measure.”
The visit, which drew staff members and admirers across the company, was also attended by the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Mr. Shehu Dikko, under whose leadership the women’s team has continued to flourish.
Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, expressed admiration for the team’s unrelenting pursuit of excellence, noting that the company remains committed to supporting sporting excellence in Nigeria.
“This is the kind of spirit that builds nations, discipline, teamwork and resilience.
NNPC Ltd. is proud to associate with winners like D’Tigress and we are ready to continue supporting sports as a unifying and transformative force in our country,” Ojulari stated.
The team’s head coach, Rena Wakama, Nigeria’s first female head coach to win an AfroBasket, expressed gratitude for the national recognition.
“We are honoured to be here. The support and warm reception mean a lot to the team,” she said.
Team captain Amy Okonkwo also thanked NNPC Ltd. for their encouragement, describing the victory as “a result of hard work, sacrifice, and belief.”
“We play for the flag, for our people, and for the next generation of Nigerian girls who dream big. This win is for all of us,” Okonkwo said.
The victory parade at the NNPC Towers is the latest in a wave of national commendations for the D’Tigress, whose continued dominance has reaffirmed Nigeria’s status as the undisputed powerhouse of women’s basketball in Africa.
The team’s consistent performance is not only boosting Nigeria’s sports diplomacy but also reshaping narratives around women’s participation and leadership in international sports.
