The final of the Zenith Bank Women’s Premier League was a carnival, sportstainment, a marriage of sports and entertainment. The entire atmosphere was electrifying, the fans had fun and value for their time and energy, and could not have asked for a better climax of the competition.
At the end, Dolphins Basketball Club, Lagos emerged champions of the 2025 Zenith Bank Women’s Premier League, following a 61-55 victory over First Bank in the final of the playoffs in Lagos to smile home with the cash prize of N7. 5m.
.Both sides came into the final following an unbeaten run throughout the week-long tournament, with Dolphins seeing off the challenge of Abuja-based franchise, Royal Aces, 66-54 in the semis, while First Bank accounted for MFM 47-45, to book a place in the showpiece final.
Dolphins began on the front foot and established a healthy lead, with First Bank playing catch-up.
Coach Peter Akindele’s side managed to take a 33-30 advantage heading into the half-time interval.
As the third quarter commenced, the Dolphins stretched their advantage into double figures, even as First Bank reduced the deficit to nine points prior to the start of the fourth quarter.
The final quarter produced high-energy and very tense moments from both teams, with First Bank outclassing their fellow Atlantic Conference franchise in a bid to remain in the contest.
The Elephant Girls were rewarded for their hard work, as regulation time saw the game end on a tie score of 53-53, as overtime looked.
In the ensuing five minutes of overtime, the Dolphins curtailed every move made by the Elephant Girls, while adding eight more points to see out the famous victory and a prize sum of N7.5m.
Speaking after the game, coach of First Bank, Juliana Akhere lamented her team’s defeat, “I believe strongly that we needed to better understand the instructions that are given out to the players. They need to work according to instructions. If they can do that to a very great level, things will fall in place.”
Meanwhile, in the third-place match played earlier, former champions MFM, humiliated Royal Aces of Abuja 70-46 as taking their anger of not reaching the finals on them, to claim the bronze medal.
MFM may have settled for the bronze medal but they had other individual awards to console themselves as Idubamo Beggi won the highest assist accolade.
Another MFM player Wandoo Hembam, claimed the highest three-pointer award, while Bidemi Ogedengbe took home the top rebounder gong.
All individual awards received a generous prize of N500, 000 from Zenith Bank
Zenith Bank had sponsored the Women’s Premier League for over 17 years and still counting, as the bank had dropped the hint through before the final.
Speaking in that light,the Group Managing Director (GMD) and CEO of Zenith Bank, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji (OON), reiterated the financial institution’s commitment to supporting sports, especially women basketball in the country.
President of the NBBF, Musa Kida has commended Zenith bank for the unflinching support towards the development of basketball in the country through the annual support/sponsorship of the National Women Basketball league in the last 17 years.
Kida stated that Zenith Bank has remained a dedicated and committed partner of the NBBF and proud sponsors of the NBBF’s Elite division of the women’s basketball league without break for over 17 years now.
He revealed that this has helped the NBBF discover great talents from all over the country that have gone ahead to represent Nigeria on the continental and global stage,.
The NBBF President noted that this support has helped ensured the country’s total dominance on the contiennt for the last 8 years without tasting defeat in the continentcontiennt and also showcasing their influence at the global stage.
He also pointed out the support of Zenith Bank for the female national team,D’Tigress when the bank hosted and received them after the victory at the 2025 Afrobasket and rewarded the team with N200m .