The road to the 2026 Zenith Bank/NBBF Women’s Basketball League title reaches its defining stage as the nation’s top eight teams converge on the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, from September 28 to October 3, 2026, for the national Finals.

Emerging from fiercely contested Atlantic and Savannah Conference campaigns, Nigeria Customs, AS Sky Queens, Titans, Air Warriors, MFM, First Bank, Victoria Queens, and Bayelsa Blue Whales have secured their places in the final battle for national honours.

And there is plenty to look forward to.

Last year’s champions, Dolphins Basketball Club, who lifted the trophy after defeating First Bank in the final, will not be in contention this year after failing to finish among the top four teams in the Atlantic Conference. Their absence leaves the title firmly up for grabs and sets the stage for a new champion to emerge.

The trophy, however, will be contested by teams with considerable championship pedigree.

First Bank, last year’s finalists and the most successful team in the history of the competition, arrive with a record nine league titles. MFM, meanwhile, will draw on its recent dominance after winning back-to-back championships in 2023 and 2024.

With both sides among the Final 8, history, experience, and ambition will converge as the battle for the crown unfolds.

The quality of the competition reflects the growth of a league that has, for more than two decades, provided a platform for Nigeria’s leading female basketball talents to emerge, compete, and develop. At the heart of that journey has been Zenith Bank, the sole sponsor of the National Women’s Basketball League since 2005.

Through its partnership with the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Zenith Bank has consistently supported the development of women’s basketball, helping to provide and sustain a competitive platform where talent can be discovered, nurtured, and prepared for the highest levels of the sport.

The league has also served as an important pathway to the national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, with several players who have featured prominently for Nigeria emerging from the domestic competition.

Beyond the national team, the league continues to contribute to youth development by giving young female athletes opportunities to build confidence, skills, discipline, teamwork, and professional sporting careers.

Now, the spotlight turns to Lagos.

Which team will seize the opportunity to write a new chapter in the history of Nigerian women’s basketball?

Eight teams. One destination. One crown.

For Zenith Bank, its sponsorship of the Women’s Basketball League represents more than support for a sporting competition. It reflects the bank’s broader commitment to creating platforms that provide opportunities, develop potential, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of young Nigerians.

That commitment extends across several areas of community development, with notable initiatives including:

• The reconstruction and beautification of Ajose Adeogun Street and Roundabout;
• The annual Zenith Bank Youth Parade and Light-Up Ceremony;
• The construction of ICT Centres in tertiary institutions across the country; and
• The construction of the ultra-modern Iga Iduganran Primary Healthcare Centre, among others.

Through these initiatives and its longstanding support for women’s basketball, Zenith Bank continues to demonstrate that its commitment to society extends beyond banking, with a focus on creating opportunities, strengthening communities, and contributing to the development of the next generation.