The Zenith Bank Nig. Plc, the sponsors of the national women’s basketball league has given N70 million as the total package for the running of the 2019 season.
The competition which is set to dunk off on July 26 in the Savannah (North) and in the Atlantic (South) conferences will have 27 teams competing for honours at yet to determined venues.
Ebenezer Onyeagwu, the bank’s Group Managing Director, on Tuesday accompanied by other senior staffs of the bank met with the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) led by its President Musa Kida to announce the package at the Zenith Bank Head Office at Ajose Adeogun, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Onyeagwu said he was glad for the success the league had recorded following 15 years of the bank commiting funds and other moral support to the development of the league.
He said that it was simply part of the Company’s Social Responsibility in which they intend to do even more for many years to come.
READ ALSO: Senate screens ministerial nominees, Uchechukwu Ogah answers questions on economy
“As the managing director, I am happy about the success so far, looking back at the success recorded, we are very confident that the future will also be greater.
“It gives us a lot of joy to see women basketball has done very well, especially raising young women to pursue a career in basketball and forming the nucleus of the national team.
“It also gives us a lot of happiness to see many great results such winning international honours such as the 2017 FIBA Africa Basketball Championships for women.
“We were also supportive of the D’Tigress heroics at the last FIBA World Cup in Tenerife, Spain, where the national women’s team made it to quarter-finals.
“At Zenith Bank we remain committed regardless of the financial challenges we may have faced in the past, we will continue to support women basketball at the grassroots in Nigeria,” Onyeagwu said.
Similarly, the NBBF president, Kida, said that he was happy about the support women basketball has continued to receive over the years from Zenith Bank Nigeria Plc.
READ ALSO: Lightning strikes kill 39 in India
Kida added that the league had transformed the lives of many athletes and nurtured them to international stardom.
He said that this year’s edition would have increase in the number of participating teams from 16 to 27.
He also said that there would be no fewer than 218 matches far more than what it used to be.
“We are happy to have the support of Zenith Bank for the past 15 years, the bank has been rock solid on the development of the sport.
“The league which started with five teams has now grown to have 27 teams which is a testimony of the great support enjoyed over the years.
“The essence of the increase in the number of participating teams is to create the avenue for a competitive league, which is part of my vision when I came on board as the NBBF president.
“Over the years, Zenith Bank has been very supportive for the success of the national teams at the international scene,” Kida said. (NAN)