The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Abuja branch, has emerged winners of the 42nd edition of the CBN Governor’s Cup for the seventh time.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Abuja branch, which is the defending champion of the competition, defeated its counterpart from Lagos 3-1 to lift the trophy at the match played at the Kwara Stadium Complex, Ilorin, on Saturday.

The match had ended 1-1 in the first half, but the Abuja team returned with an improved and inspired performance and got the 2nd goal of the match two minutes into the second half and another goal at the closing stage of the tensed game.

Bauchi branch had earlier on Friday won the bronze medal defeating Ilọrin 3-2 after a pulsating 2-2 draw to emerge third.

The fair play award was won by the Ilọrin branch.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that since the competition started in 1981, Abuja had won it in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2022 and 2023.

The Lagos branch, which lost last year’s final to the Abuja branch, has won it a record 10th time.

This year’s finals was also preceded by an All Female Novelty Football Match.

Speaking at the finals of the competition, the CBN Governor, Mr Olayemi Cardoso, said the competition which involved all the branches and the Head Office, kicked off in eight centres of Akure, Ilorin, Abakaliki, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Enugu and Makurdi with the preliminaries played between July 10 and Aug. 17.

Cardoso, who was represented by the Head, Employee Relations and Welfare Division of the Human Resources Department, Mrs Brenda Daurang, said the competition is aimed at encouraging social relationships between staff and maintaining a healthy workforce through sporting activities.

The winners of the finals received a trophy, medals and a cash prize of N2 million.

The second and third place teams went home with silver and bronze medals as well as N1.5 million and N1 million, respectively.

The 4th place team also received N500,000. (NAN)