The 2026 NBBF/Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League came to a thrilling conclusion over the weekend, with MFM Basketball Club emerging as the champion. The team won their third title in four years after a hard-fought game against First Bank, which ended in a 66-64 points victory after overtime. The finals were attended by top officials of Zenith Bank, Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) bigwigs, and other stakeholders in the sport.
MFM Basketball Club took home the prestigious NBBF/Zenith Bank Women’s League title and a prize money of N7.5m. The second and third place finishers, First Bank and Nigeria Customs, received N5m and N3m respectively for their efforts. In the third-place match, Nigeria Customs defeated ASO SKY Queens 51-38 points to claim the bronze medal and N3m.
The individual award winners also received cash prizes, with the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, Ioumabo Pius of MFM, taking home a sum of N2m. Pius was rewarded by Zenith Bank for her place in the Tournament Top 5 with N500,000, alongside other players. She received additional N500,000 each from Dam Foundations and Xejet, totaling N2m.
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr Adaora Umeoji, reiterated the organization's commitment to the development of women’s basketball in Nigeria. Represented by executive director Adamu Lawani, Umeoji described all the teams as winners and praised the champions, MFM, for their discipline and hard work.
Zenith Bank has been a sponsor of the league for 20 years and Umeoji assured that the bank will continue to support the game. The bank's commitment to women's basketball development was evident in the substantial prize money and individual awards given to the players.
The NBBF/Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League has been a platform for Nigerian women’s basketball teams to showcase their skills and compete at a high level. The league has also provided opportunities for players to receive recognition and rewards for their outstanding performances.
The victory marks a significant achievement for MFM Basketball Club, and the team's players and coaches will look to build on this success in future competitions. The league's conclusion brings an end to an exciting season of women's basketball in Nigeria, with teams already looking forward to the next season.
Key points
- MFM Basketball Club won the NBBF/Zenith Bank Women's League title and took home N7.5m in prize money.
- The Most Valuable Player of the tournament, Ioumabo Pius of MFM, received a total of N2m in cash prizes.
- Zenith Bank has been a sponsor of the league for 20 years and has reiterated its commitment to the development of women’s basketball in Nigeria.
