As women footballers across Malawi continue to dream bigger and play with renewed confidence, the inaugural NBM Women’s Premiership has delivered more than just silverware, it has opened doors to opportunity, recognition, and continental competition.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Patricia Wiskes, has commended National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc for its bold investment in women’s football, describing the sponsorship as a landmark step in transforming the women’s game in the country.
Wiskes made the remarks on Saturday at Silver Stadium in Lilongwe following the conclusion of the first-ever NBM Women’s Premiership, where Silver Strikers Ladies edged FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women 2–1 in the final match of the season.
She said the sponsorship has given Malawian women footballers a rare platform to compete at the highest level, including on the continental stage.
“As a ministry, we value these sponsorships so much because it is through this sponsorship that our women in football have been able to compete in Africa. It is really a landmark in the growth of women’s football in Malawi, and we hope the sponsor has been satisfied and that we will continue engaging going forward,” said Wiskes.
The Minister further urged other corporates and stakeholders to emulate NBM plc by investing in women’s football, noting that sustained support is critical to maintaining the momentum created by the premiership.
NBM plc Chief Financial Officer, Daniel Jere, said the bank was encouraged by the quality of football displayed and the progress recorded during the first edition of the league.
“As a sponsor of the NBM Women’s Football Premiership, we are very excited by the developments that have taken place since we decided to sponsor this premiership. Overall, our impression is that the first edition has been a great success,” said Jere.
He added that the impact of the league is already being felt beyond domestic competitions.
“We are also encouraged that the Premiership has contributed players who have gone on to represent Malawi at the international level, including those who featured in the Women’s AFCON tournament,” said Jere.
Jere said the bank will soon conduct a comprehensive review of the inaugural season before announcing the next steps.
“We will soon be conducting a thorough review of the first edition, and we will communicate the way forward on this particular sponsorship plan,” he said.
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) President Fleetwood Haiya said the league has fulfilled its core objective of providing a structured, competitive, and sustainable platform for women’s football.
“National Bank of Malawi believed in our women and believed in a group that had not received adequate attention. We are very happy to see this vision realised,” said Haiya.
Launched on 26 July last year, the inaugural NBM Women’s Premiership brought together teams from across the country, marking Malawi’s first fully structured national top-flight league for women.
Silver Strikers Ladies finished the season as champions with 48 points from 18 matches and walked away with a K10 million prize.
The Women’s Premiership forms part of NBM plc’s K1.58 billion investment in sports development, with women’s football identified as a key growth area with strong potential to uplift athletes and inspire future generations.
