Nigeria Premier Football League

The Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) (formerly the Nigerian Professional Football League) is the highest level of club football in Nigerian football league system. The Nigerian Premier League has suffered like many others, from the financial impact and dwindling fortunes since the late 2000s. ^[1][2] It is fed into by the Nigeria National League (NNL). It is organized by the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Board headed by Mr. Gbenga Elegbeleye.

Nigeria Premier Football League

Founded	1972; 52 years ago (1972)
Country	Nigeria
Confederation	CAF
Number of teams	20
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Nigeria National League
Domestic cup(s)	Nigerian FA Cup Nigerian Super Cup
International cup(s)	Champions League Confederation Cup
Current champions	Rangers International F.C.(2023–24) (8th title)
Most championships	Enyimba (9 titles)
Most appearances	Rabiu Ali (406)
TV partners	Propel Sports Africa NPFL Live StarTimes
Website	npfl.com.ng
Current: 2024–25 Nigeria Premier Football League

Name history

The league was previously known as the "Nigeria Premier League" between 1993 and 2000, and between 2003 and 2013. ^[3][4]

It has also been known as the "Nigerian Premiership" (2000–2003); "Nigerian Professional League" (1990–1993); Nigerian National League - First Division (1979–1990) and "the (Nigerian) National League" or "Nigerian Football League" (1972–1979) and more recently "Nigeria Professional Football League" (2014–2023).

International partnerships

On 27 April 2016, The Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional organisers of the La Liga sealed a five-year memorandum of understanding deal with the NPFL on capacity building and idea exchange signed by the League Management Company chairman, Shehu Dikko and the La Liga President Javier Tebas. The NPFL and La Liga partnership has already started bearing fruit as during the January transfer window, Super Eagles fringe player Ezekiel Bassey was signed on loan from Enyimba to Barcelona B on a six-month deal with an option of 3-years come end of the season based on performance. The NPFL AllStars (made up of the league's best players) have also been playing Pre-Season as well as Winter break friendlies with top flight Spanish sides like Atlético Madrid, Málaga, Valencia, Villareal etc. In an effort to expose and test Local players against top players and sides.

In Thursday, 25 May 2017, The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) alongside the League Management Company (LMC), also consummated a multi-faceted strategic agreement in general football development with the Football Federation and Premier League body of the Kingdom of Morocco, NFF President Amaju Pinnick and NFF 2nd Vice-president/ LMC Chairman Shehu Dikko put pen to paper on a memorandum of understanding with their Moroccan counterparts, the result of detailed discussions, deliberations and considerations over time. The two FA Presidents signed their own sides in the Office of the Federation Royale Marocaine de Football in Rabat, while the LMC 's Chairman, Shehu Dikko and Chairman of the Ligue Nationale de Football Professionnel (which organises the Botola), Said Naciri signed at the LNFP office, watched by the two FA bosses.^[5]

Eunisell, Bet9ja and Hero lager are current sponsors of the NPFL.^[6]

History

2017 season

Plateau United F.C. won the league on 9 September 2017, with a 2–0 victory over Rangers International F.C..^[7]

2018 season

In July 2018 the league was postponed indefinitely following crisis in the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).^[8][9] Lobi Stars was declared as the sole representative of the league in the 2019 CAF Champions League as the team was at the top of the standings.^[10]

2019 season

The league consisted of 24 teams. Four were promoted from the Nigeria National League. Twenty teams remained from the previous season which was not completed. They were divided into two groups of 12 teams. The top three teams in each group contested for the title in the NPFL Super six championship playoff in Lagos. The People's Elephant finished at the top of the log with 12 points from five games.

Enyimba vs Kano Pillars is considered the biggest match of the season because of their rivalry and they remain the 2 teams yet to finish outside the top eight for 12 consecutive seasons.

Management

The League Management Company (shortly and commonly known as the 'LMC') is the legal association football League governing body of the Nigeria Professional Football League. It was created and incorporated by the Nigeria Football Federation in 2012 to take over the nearly-collapsed Nigeria Football League (NFL), the former league governing body.^[11]

History

The NFF created the Nigeria Premier League, organized by the Nigeria Football League in 1990 as a step in attaining full professionalism as the sole regulatory for football in Nigeria. At the Onikan Stadium on 12 May 1990, the league was given a name as it was then known as the 'Professional League'.^[12]

However, in November 2012 with the agreement and support of the National Sports Commission, Nigeria's sports regulatory authority, the NFF constituted an Interim Management Committee (IMC) for the League as part of measures to avert a total collapse of the top tier professional League following the downfall of the Nigeria Football League (NFL) which arose from difficult legal and administrative impediments.^[13] The IMC supervised the formation and incorporation of the LMC to run a transparent and commercially viable professional league.

Achievements

The first step the LMC took was to rebrand the League name, from the Nigerian Premier League to the Nigerian Professional Football League, (NPFL) or simply the Professional 'Football' League)^[14][15] Also, the LMC signed a $34m TV rights deal to broadcast league matches which lasted until 2017^[16][17]

In 2015, the League Management Company solicited financial support from the Government in order to upgrade existing grounds, provision of required broadcast and medical equipment and facilities in the stadiums.^[18]

The League Management Company has its framework and rules governing the 20 clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League each season.^[19] On 5 July 2016, the NPFL adopted the TMS Domestic Transfer Matching System (DTMS), becoming the first league in Africa to do so.^[20]

The League Management Company is currently headed by Shehu Dikko.^[21]

Awards

In 2012, the NPFL was ranked as the best in Africa and 24th best in the world by the IFFHS, the rating puts it a spot above the Scottish Premier League for the year.^[22][23]

Association Ranking for the 2023–24 CAF club season

The association ranking for the 2023–24 CAF Champions League and the 2023–24 CAF Confederation Cup will be based on results from each CAF club competition from 2018–19 to the 2022–23 season. The standings below are as of 21 March 2023.

Legend

• CL: CAF Champions League
• CC: CAF Confederation Cup
• ≥: Associations points might increase on basis of its clubs performance in 2022-23 CAF club competitions
•   Associations ranked 1–12 are eligible to enter two teams in each CAF club competition.

Rank			Association	2018–19 (× 1)		2019–20 (× 2)		2020–21 (× 3)		2021–22 (× 4)		2022-23 (× 5)		Total
2023	2022	Mvt		CL	CC	CL	CC	CL	CC	CL	CC	CL	CC
1	1	—	Morocco	5	7	8	8	4	6	9	5	≥8	2	≥180
2	2	—	Egypt	4	5	11	6	8	3	7	4	≥7	2.5	≥167.5
3	3	—	Algeria	5	1	3	1	6	5	7	1	6	5	134
4	5	+1	South Africa	6	0	3	0.5	8	2	5	4	4	3	114
5	4	-1	Tunisia	8	6	6	0	4	3	5	1	4	2	101
6	11	+5	Tanzania	3	0	0	0	3	0.5	0	2	3	4	56.5
7	6	-1	DR Congo	5	0	4	1	4	0	0	3	1	2	54
8	7	-1	Angola	0	0.5	4	0	1	0	5	0	2	0	41.5
9	8	-1	Sudan	0	2	2	0	2	0	3	0	3	0	39
10	10	—	Guinea	3	0	0	3	2	0	1	0	2	0	29
11	9	-2	Libya	0	0	0	2	0	0.5	0	5	0	0.5	28
12	12	—	Nigeria	2	1	0	3	0	2	0	0	0	2	25
13	16	+3	Ivory Coast	1	0	0	0.5	0	0	0	1	0	3	21
14	14	—	Cameroon	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0.5	1	0	16
15	13	-2	Zambia	0	2.5	1	2	0	1.5	0	0.5	0	0	15
16	17	+1	Congo	0	0.5	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	9.5
17	15	-2	Senegal	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	9
18	21	+3	Mali	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	7
19	30	+11	Togo	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	5
19	26	+7	Uganda	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	5
21	18	-3	Botswana	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	4
22	19	-3	Zimbabwe	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
23	19	-4	Kenya	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
23	21	-2	Eswatini	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.5	0	0	2
23	23	—	Burkina Faso	0	0.5	0	0	0	0.5	0	0	0	0	2
23	24	+1	Niger	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.5	0	0	2
27	24	-3	Ghana	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
27	27	—	Mauritania	0	0	0	0.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
27	27	—	Benin	0	0	0	0.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	1

Association ranking for the 2024–25 CAF club season

The association ranking for the 2024–25 CAF Champions League and the 2024–25 CAF Confederation Cup is be based on results from each CAF club competition from 2019–20 to the 2023–24 season.

Legend

• CL: CAF Champions League
• CC: CAF Confederation Cup
• ≥: Associations points might increase on basis of its clubs performance in 2023–24 CAF club competitions
•   Associations ranked 1–12 are eligible to enter two teams in each CAF club competition.

Rank			Association	2019–20 (× 1)		2020–21 (× 2)		2021–22 (× 3)		2022–23 (× 4)		2023–24 (× 5)		Total
2024	2023	Mvt		CL	CC	CL	CC	CL	CC	CL	CC	CL	CC
1	2	+1	Egypt	11	6	8	3	7	4	8	2.5	7	7	184
2	1	-1	Morocco	8	8	4	6	9	5	8	2	2	4	148
3	3	—	Algeria	3	1	6	5	7	1	6	5	2	3	119
4	4	—	South Africa	3	0.5	8	2	5	4	4	3	4	1.5	106
5	5	—	Tunisia	6	0	4	3	5	1	4	2	6	1	97
6	6	—	Tanzania	0	0	3	0.5	0	2	3	4	6	0	71
7	7	—	DR Congo	4	1	4	0	0	3	1	2	4	0	54
8	8	—	Angola	4	0	1	0	5	0	2	0	3	1.5	51.5
9	9	—	Sudan	2	0	2	0	3	0	3	0	2	0	37
10	11	+1	Libya	0	2	0	0.5	0	5	0	0.5	0	3	35
11	13	+2	Ivory Coast	0	0.5	0	0	0	1	0	3	3	0	30.5
12	12	—	Nigeria	0	3	0	2	0	0	0	2	0	2	25
13	10	-3	Guinea	0	3	2	0	1	0	2	0	0	0.5	20.5
14	27	+13	Ghana	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	20
15	18	+3	Mali	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	15
16	14	-2	Cameroon	0	0	0	3	0	0.5	1	0	0	0	11.5
17	27	+10	Mauritania	0	0.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	10.5
18	16	-2	Congo	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0.5	9.5
19	21	+2	Botswana	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	8
20	15	-5	Zambia	1	2	0	1.5	0	0.5	0	0	0	0	7.5
21	17	-4	Senegal	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	6
22	19	-3	Togo	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	4
22	19	-3	Uganda	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	4
24	23	-1	Eswatini	0	0	0	0	0	0.5	0	0	0	0	1.5
24	23	-1	Niger	0	0	0	0	0	0.5	0	0	0	0	1.5
26	22	-4	Zimbabwe	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
26	23	-3	Burkina Faso	0	0	0	0.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
28	27	-1	Benin	0	0.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.5

Past champions

Champions by season

Année	Champion
1972	Mighty Jets (1)
1973	Bendel Insurance (1)
1974	Rangers International F.C. (1)
1975	Rangers International F.C. (2)
1976	Shooting Stars (1)
1977	Rangers International F.C. (3)
1978	Racca Rovers (1)
1979	Bendel Insurance (2)
1980	Shooting Stars (2)
1981	Rangers International F.C. (4)
1982	Rangers International F.C. (5)
1983	Shooting Stars (3)
1984	Rangers International F.C. (6)
1985	New Nigeria Bank FC (1)
1986	Leventis United (1)
1987	Iwuanyanwu Nationale (1)
1988	Iwuanyanwu Nationale (2)
1989	Iwuanyanwu Nationale (3)
1990	Iwuanyanwu Nationale (4)
1991	Julius Berger (1)
1992	Stationery Stores (1)
1993	Iwuanyanwu Nationale (5)
1994	BCC Lions (1)
1995	Shooting Stars (4)
1996	Udoji United (1)
1997	Dolphin F.C. (1)
1998	Shooting Stars (5)
1999	Lobi Stars (1)
2000	Julius Berger (2)
2001	Enyimba FC (1)
2002	Enyimba FC (2)
2003	Enyimba FC (3)
2004	Dolphin F.C. (2)
2005	Enyimba FC (4)
2006	Ocean Boys FC (1)
2007	Enyimba FC (5)
2008	Kano Pillars FC (1)
2009	Bayelsa United (1)
2010	Enyimba FC (6)
2011	Dolphin F.C. (3)
2012	Kano Pillars FC (2)
2013	Kano Pillars FC (3)
2014	Kano Pillars FC (4)
2015	Enyimba FC (7)
2016	Rangers International F.C. (7)
2017	Plateau United FC (1)
2018	Championship canceled
2019	Enyimba FC (8)
2020	Championship candeled due to Covid-19
2021	Akwa United FC (1)
2022	Rivers United (4)
2023	Enyimba FC (9)
2024	Rangers International F.C. (8)

Most titles won

Clubs	Championship	Years
Enyimba (Aba)	9	2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2015, 2019, 2022–23
Rangers International (Enugu)	8	1974, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1984, 2016, 2023–24
Shooting Stars (Ibadan)	5	1976, 1980, 1983, 1995, 1998
Heartland F.C. (Owerri)	5	1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993
Kano Pillars (Kano)	4	2008, 2012, 2013, 2014
Rivers United (Includes Dolphin and Eagle Cement) (Port Harcourt)	4	1997, 2004, 2011, 2022
Bendel Insurance (Benin City)	2	1973, 1979
Julius Berger (Lagos)	2	1991, 2000
Lobi Stars (Makurdi)	1	1999
BCC Lions (Gboko)	1	1994
Stationery Stores (Lagos)	1	1992
Leventis United (Ibadan)	1	1986
Plateau United (Jos)	1	2017
Bayelsa United (Yenegoa)	1	2009
Ocean Boys (Brass)	1	2006
Udoji United (Awka)	1	1996
New Nigeria Bank (Benin City)	1	1985
Racca Rovers (Kano)	1	1978
Mighty Jets (Jos)	1	1972
Akwa United (Uyo)	1	2021

Top scorers

Year	Top scorers	Club	Goals
1990 [24]	Ishaya Jatau	Iwuanyanwu Nationale	17
1991	Richard Ojomo	Bendel United	12
1992	Arthur Moses	Stationary Stores	10
1993	Anthony Nwaigwe	Iwuanyanwu Nationale	13
1994	Olumide Harris	Shooting Stars	14
1995	Ben Agawam	Gombe United	12
1996	Peter Anyiolobi	Enyimba	9
1997	Paul Kpoughoul	Jasper United/BCC Lions	16
1998	Hassan Minna	Gombe United	14
1999	Emmanuel Ago	Iwuanyanwu Nationale	14
2000	Peter Ijeh	Julius Berger	14
2001	Uche Okereke	Rangers International F.C.	13
2002	Joetex Frimpong	El-Kanemi Warriors	16
2003	Chibuzor Ozurumba Endurance Idahor	Iwuanyanwu Nationale Julius Berger	13
2004	Kabiru Alausa	Julius Berger	13
2005	Timothy Anjembe Joseph Akpala	Lobi Stars Bendel Insurance	12
2006	Ikechukwu Ibenegbu	El-Kanemi Warriors	10
2007	Aruwa Ameh	Kaduna United	10
2008	Abubakar Babale	Wikki Tourists/Sunshine Stars	14
2009	Orok Akarandut	Akwa United	17
2010	Ahmed Musa	Kano Pillars	18
2011	Jude Aneke	Kaduna United	20
2012 [25]	Sibi Gwar	Niger Tornadoes	17
2013 [25]	Victor Namo	Nasarawa United	18
2014 [25]	Mfon Udoh	Enyimba	23
2015 [26]	Gbolahan Salami	Warri Wolves	17
2016 [25]	Godwin Obaje	Wikki Tourists	18
2017	Anthony Okpotu	Lobi Stars	19
2018[6]	Junior Lokosa	Kano Pillars	19
2019	Mfon Udoh Sunusi Ibrahim	Akwa United Nasarawa United	10
2019–20	Israel Abia [note 1]	Rangers International F.C.	12
2020–21	Silas Nwankwo Charles Atshimene	Nasarawa UnitedAkwa United	19
2021–22	Chijioke Akuneto[27]	Rivers United	19
2022–23	Chukwuemeka Obioma	Enyimba F.C.	16
"2023–24"	Chijioke Mbaoma	Enyimba F.C.	17

1. Leading goalscorer as at the time of cancellation.

References

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External links

• Competition history & statistics – RSSSF