King Amakree Academy, Rivers State, and Government Secondary School (GSS), Gboko, Benue State, have emerged as first-time national champions at the 26th MILO Basketball Championship, ending the competition with historic victories at the National Finals held in Lagos.
The championship finals, staged at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, featured the four conference champions and the two best-performing runners-up from competitions held across the country.
In the girls’ final, GSS Gboko produced a commanding performance to defeat multiple-time champions St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School, Amarata, Bayelsa State, 68-36, securing the school’s first national basketball title. Ada Friday, who wore jersey No. 6, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP).
The boys’ final also delivered a dramatic finish as King Amakree Academy edged defending champions Father O’Connell Science College, Niger State, 56-54, to lift the national trophy for the first time. Godswill Mene, wearing jersey No. 8, was named the boys’ tournament MVP.
The 26th edition of the championship attracted more than 13,000 secondary schools from across Nigeria, with qualifying matches held in the Savannah, Central, Atlantic and Western Conferences before the finalists converged in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Nigeria Plc, Wassim ElHusseini, said the championship remains a key platform through which the company promotes youth development and creates opportunities for young Nigerians.
He said the tournament has, for over two decades, gone beyond basketball by helping young people develop discipline, teamwork, resilience and self-confidence.
“At Nestlé Nigeria, Creating Shared Value is at the heart of how we do business. We believe our success is closely connected to the well-being of the communities we serve. That is why we continue to invest in initiatives like the MILO Basketball Championship, creating opportunities for young people to realise their full potential,” he said.
Also speaking, Category Lead for MILO, Gilbert Tweneboah-Koduah, said the emergence of two first-time national champions demonstrates that every participating school has the opportunity to succeed.
According to him, the championship continues to provide a platform for young people to discover their talents, build character and pursue their dreams through sport.
The event also featured a wheelchair basketball exhibition involving young para-athletes as part of efforts to promote inclusion and equal opportunities in sports.
The winning schools received trophies, cash prizes, basketball kits and MILO products in recognition of their performances.
Organisers said the championship remains one of Nigeria’s foremost grassroots basketball development programmes, complementing the MILO Building Champs initiative, which reached about seven million children through school-based physical activity programmes in 2025.
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