FirstBank Elephant Girls Win Zone 3 Title, Earn Spot in WBLA Final in Cairo

The FirstBank Basketball Club of Nigeria, affectionately known as the “Elephant Girls,” has secured their place in the final round of the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA), set to take place in Cairo, Egypt, from December 5 to 14, 2025.

The team delivered an outstanding performance at the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, sweeping all three matches to emerge as champions. Representing Nigeria as the sole team in the tournament, they faced tough competition from Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Benin Republic, Ghana, and Togo. Notably, they pulled off an upset with a 66–55 victory over the hosts, CSA of Côte d’Ivoire, and staged a remarkable comeback from 20 points down in the second quarter to defeat FBA of Côte d’Ivoire 63–59.

This impressive feat marked their return to continental basketball after a six-year hiatus. As the only English-speaking team to advance from Zone 3, the Elephant Girls’ victory underscores FirstBank’s unwavering dedication to advancing women’s sports across Nigeria and Africa.

Reacting to the victory, Olumuyiwa Olulaja, FirstBank’s Group Head of Human Capital Management and Chair of the Sports Council, expressed pride: “We are immensely proud of the Elephant Girls for their exceptional performance. They have demonstrated the strength, resilience, and excellence that define FirstBank.”

He added, “Our commitment to supporting sports development in Nigeria and across Africa continues to grow, and this achievement is a testament to our mission to foster sporting excellence on the continent and beyond.”

Following their silver medal finish at the Zenith Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Women’s Premier League, the Elephant Girls earned their ticket to the WBLA qualifiers and now aim to make history in the final round in Cairo, representing Nigeria and the FirstBank brand on the continental stage.