The race for the 2026 Zenith Bank/NBBF Women’s Basketball League title enters its decisive stage as eight teams converge on Lagos for the national Final 8 tournament.
The competition is scheduled to hold from September 28 to October 3, 2026, at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
The eight teams that secured qualification from the Atlantic and Savannah Conferences are Nigeria Customs, AS Sky Queens, Titans, Air Warriors, MFM, First Bank, Victoria Queens and Bayelsa Blue Whales.
With the league entering its final phase, the teams will battle for national honours and the opportunity to claim the 2026 championship.
Defending champions miss Final 8
Last year’s champions, Dolphins Basketball Club, will not defend their title after failing to finish among the top four teams in the Atlantic Conference.
Dolphins won the 2025 championship after defeating First Bank in the final.
Their absence guarantees a new champion in 2026 and leaves the title race open among the eight qualified teams.
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First Bank enters the competition with significant championship experience. The club, which finished as runner-up last year, is the most successful team in the history of the competition with nine league titles.
MFM will also be among the teams looking to challenge for the trophy. The club won consecutive championships in 2023 and 2024 and will be seeking another title in Lagos.
Zenith Bank’s long-standing support
The Final 8 is the latest stage in a women’s basketball competition that has provided a platform for female players to develop their careers for more than two decades.
Zenith Bank has sponsored the National Women’s Basketball League since 2005 and remains the sole sponsor of the competition.
Through its partnership with the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), the bank has supported the development of women’s basketball by helping sustain a competitive domestic league where players can develop their skills and compete at the highest level in Nigeria.
The league has also served as a pathway to the national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, with several players who have represented Nigeria emerging from the domestic competition.
Beyond national team development, the competition provides young female athletes with opportunities to develop skills, discipline, teamwork and professional sporting careers.
Eight teams battle for one title
The 2026 Final 8 is expected to provide a competitive conclusion to the league season, with teams bringing different levels of experience and championship history into the tournament.
Nigeria Customs, AS Sky Queens, Titans, Air Warriors, MFM, First Bank, Victoria Queens and Bayelsa Blue Whales will all be seeking to secure the title in Lagos.
The tournament will also provide another opportunity for the league to showcase the depth of women’s basketball talent in Nigeria.
For Zenith Bank, its continued investment in the competition forms part of a broader commitment to youth development and community initiatives.
The bank’s other community-focused projects include 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 Nigeria and the construction of the Iga Iduganran Primary Healthcare Centre.
As the Final 8 gets underway in Lagos, attention will now turn to the eight teams competing for the 2026 Zenith Bank/NBBF Women’s Basketball League championship.
Eight teams. One trophy. One new champion.
