Zenith Basketball Women’s League tips off in Lagos
The Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball Premier League will tip off in Lagos with unprecedented prize money and heightened expectations for an exciting season of women’s basketball.
The Chairperson of the league, Perpetual Clement, confirmed this in an interview with newsmen on Monday in Lagos
This year’s playoffs carry attractive rewards. Champions will earn ₦7.5 million, runners-up ₦5 million, while the third-placed team will pocket ₦3 million.
Individual honours include ₦500,000 each for the MVP, Top Scorer, Highest Assists, Best Shooter, and Top Rebounder, with ₦1 million reserved for the Conference Champion.
The Final-8 Playoffs will feature eight teams, including defending champions MFM Queens, at the National Stadium’s Indoor Sports Hall, Lagos, from Sept. 16 to Sept. 20
Air Warriors face Royal Aces at 10 a.m. to open proceedings, followed by First Bank against Bayelsa Whales at noon on the tournament’s opening day.
Titans meet Nigeria Customs at 2 p.m., while champions MFM Queens clash with fierce rivals Dolphins of Lagos in the headline game of day one.
The five-day event will climax on Sept. 20, when the 2025 Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball Premier League champions will be crowned.
Clement praised the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and Zenith Bank for their consistent support in raising the standard of women’s basketball.
She noted that their dedication has brought great progress to the league and empowered women in sports across the country.
The Chairperson of the league assured fans and stakeholders that this year’s edition would be outstanding, with measures in place to guarantee fair officiating and quality competition throughout the tournament.
“Going by FIBA rules, our referees are qualified. We have top-notch FIBA referees who guarantee fair and credible officiating,” she stated.
Reflecting on the league’s growth, Clement, a former D’Tigress star, described the transformation as remarkable compared to her playing days, applauding the strong backing from Zenith Bank.
“This year’s edition is set to be the best yet. The arena feels like the WNBA—this is truly the WNBA of Nigeria,” she said.
She also commended NBBF President Musa Kida for his relentless commitment toward strengthening the game and expanding opportunities for women basketball players nationwide.
Clement highlighted the significant improvements in infrastructure, skill level, and competitiveness, stressing that Nigerian basketball has grown impressively.
“It’s a good thing for basketball in Nigeria,” she added.
