Sport | Basketball |
---|---|
Founded | 2004 (in current format) |
First season | 2005 |
No. of teams | 18 |
Country | Nigeria |
Continent | FIBA Africa ( Africa) |
Most recent champion(s) | MFM Queens (1st title) (2023) |
Most titles | First Bank (9 titles) |
Official website | Official website |
The National Women Basketball League, known as Zenith Women Basketball League for sponsorship reasons is the top-level women's basketball club competition in Nigeria. It is the women's version of Nigeria Premier League organized by the Nigeria Basketball Federation. [1] The league also determines the Nigerian representatives at FIBA Africa Women's Clubs Champions Cup. [2] [3]
The league started with five teams, however the number grew to eighteen by 2017. [4] The league has been sponsored by Zenith Bank since 2004. [5] In 2017, after the expiration of the contract agreement between NBBF and Zenith Bank, the banking institution renewed the terms of the negotiation with bigger winning bonus for the teams. [4] The winner of the league receives a ₦30,000,000 prize money. [6] The league is criticized for being overly dominated by First Bank, First Deepwater and Dolphins. [7]
The league was suspended for 3 years after the 2019 season, the first two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in 2022 due to a disputed election within the Nigeria Basketball Federation. [8] The league resumed in August 2023, [9] with MFM Queens winning the title in late October. [10]
Players in the league are semi-pro, with most receiving a small stipend. [11]
The following are the eighteen teams that participate in the league: [12]
Team | Location |
---|---|
First Deepwater | Lagos |
Nigeria Customs | Lagos |
Elephant Girls (aka First Bank) | Lagos |
Nigeria Immigration | Abuja |
AHIP Queens | Kano |
Benue Princess | Makurdi |
Coal City Angels | Enugu |
GT2000 | Kaduna |
Oluyole Babes | Ibadan |
IGP Queens | Lagos |
Plateau Rocks | Plateau State |
Delta Force | Delta State |
Dolphins | Port Harcourt |
Zamfara Babes | Zamfara State |
FCT Angels | Abuja |
Sunshine Angels | Ondo State |
Nasarawa Amazons | Nasarawa State |
Taraba Hurricanes | Taraba State |
Year | Winner | Runnerup | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | MFM Queens | Nigeria Customs | [13] |
2019 | Air Warriors | MFM Queens | [14] |
2018 | First Bank | First Deepwater | [15] |
2017 | First Bank | First Deepwater | [16] |
2016 | First Bank | Dolphins | [17] [6] |
2015 | Dolphins | First Bank | [18] |
2014 | First Bank | Dolphins | [15] |
2013 | First Deepwater | Dolphins | [15] |
2012 | First Deepwater | First Bank | [15] |
2011 | First Deepwater | First Bank | [19] [20] |
2010 | First Deepwater | First Bank | [15] |
2009 | First Bank | First Deepwater | [15] |
2008 | First Bank | Dolphins | [15] |
2007 | First Bank | Dolphins | [15] |
2006 | First Bank | Dolphins | [15] |
2005 | First Bank | Dolphins | [15] |