Eight teams battle for Zenith Bank NBBF Women’s Basketball League title

Eight teams will battle for the 2026 Zenith Bank NBBF Women’s Basketball League title as the national Finals begin in Lagos on Monday.

The Final 8 competition will take place at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, from September 28 to October 3.

The teams that secured places in the championship decider are Nigeria Customs, AS Sky Queens, Titans, Air Warriors, MFM, First Bank, Victoria Queens and Bayelsa Blue Whales.

The teams emerged from the Atlantic and Savannah Conference campaigns to secure their places in the final phase of the competition.

Defending champions Dolphins Basketball Club will not feature after failing to finish among the top four teams in the Atlantic Conference.

Dolphins won the 2025 title after defeating First Bank in the final, but their absence leaves the championship open for a new winner.

First Bank, which finished as runners-up last year, enters the competition with a record nine league titles and remains the most successful team in the history of the competition.

MFM will also be among the teams seeking the title, having won consecutive championships in 2023 and 2024.

The Final 8 is expected to bring together teams with a mix of championship experience and emerging talent as they compete for the national crown.

The women’s league has also served as a pathway for players to progress to Nigeria’s senior women’s national basketball team, D’Tigress, while providing young female athletes with opportunities to develop their skills and pursue professional careers.

Zenith Bank has sponsored the National Women’s Basketball League since 2005 through its partnership with the Nigeria Basketball Federation.

The bank said its longstanding support for the competition is aimed at contributing to the development of women’s basketball and creating opportunities for young athletes.

The Final 8 will determine the new champions of the competition when the tournament concludes on October 3 in Lagos.