2017 Nigeria Professional Football League

Last updated
Nigeria Premier League
Champions Plateau United [1]
Relegated Shooting Stars SC Remo Stars F.C.
Gombe United F.C. ABS
Champions League Plateau United
MFM F.C.
Confederation Cup Enyimba
Matches380
Goals765 (2.01 per match)
Top goalscorer Anthony Okpotu (19)
Biggest home win Ifeanyi Uba 4-0 MFM
(18 January 2017) MFM 4-0 Lobi Stars
(22 January 2017) Nasarawa United 4-0 MFM
(2 April 2017)
Biggest away win Shooting Stars 0-3 Ifeanyi Ubah
27 May 2017)
Highest scoring Akwa United 4-2 Shooting Stars
(2 April 2017) Gombe United 3-3 Enugu Rangers
(10 May 2017)
Longest winning run El Kanemi Warriors (4)
Longest unbeaten run Plateau United (7)
Longest winless run Remo Stars (14)
Longest losing run Kano Pillars (4)
Average attendance2,556
2016
2018
All statistics correct as of 20 September 2017.

The 2017 Nigeria Professional Football League was the 46th season of the top Nigerian professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1972, and the 27th since the rebranding of the league as the "Professional League". Plateau United won the league on the Saturday, 9 September 2017 with a 2-0 victory over Enugu Rangers. [2]

Contents

Enugu Rangers won the previous edition, their seventh league title and first since 1984.

Plateau United's win of this edition is their first ever title, which came in their second season after being promoted to the top flight. It was intended to be rational, meaning in reserve purposes.

Clubs

A total of 20 teams contested the league, these included 16 teams from the previous season and four teams promoted from the Nigeria National League. The season began on 14 January.

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Plateau United (C)38199104925+2466Qualification to the 2018 CAF Champions League
2 MFM 38195144241+162
3 Enyimba 38187134328+1561Qualification to the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup
4 Akwa United 38179124630+1660
5 Nasarawa United 38168143530+556
6 El Kanemi Warriors 38182183943456
7 Lobi Stars 38159144339+454
8 Kano Pillars 38166163835+354
9 Ifeanyi Ubah 38159143938+154
10 Sunshine Stars 38173184143254
11 Niger Tornadoes 38166163135454
12 Abia Warriors 38158154436+853
13 Wikki Tourist 38165173741453
14 Enugu Rangers 381411133944553
15 Rivers United 381410143433+152
16 Katsina United 38157163738152
17 Shooting Stars 381311143238650Relegation to the Nigeria National League
18 ABS 381471737501349
19 Gombe United 3811101732491743
20 Remo Stars 38782327492229
Updated to match(es) played on 9 September 2017. Source: NPFL.ng
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions

Season statistics

Goals

Top scorers

As of 10 May 2017
RankPlayerTeamGoals
1 Flag of Nigeria.svg Stephen Odey MFM 14
2 Flag of Nigeria.svg Abdullahi Ibrahim Alhassan Akwa United 10
Flag of Nigeria.svg Samuel Mathias El Kanemi Warriors 10
3 Flag of Nigeria.svg Sunday Adetunji Abia Warriors 8
Flag of Nigeria.svg Mfon Udoh Enyimba 8
4 Flag of Nigeria.svg Adamu Hassan Nasarawa United 7
Flag of Nigeria.svg Victor Mboama Remo Stars 7
Flag of Nigeria.svg Anthony Okpotu Lobi Stars 7
5 Flag of Nigeria.svg Godwin Obaje Ifeanyi Ubah 6
6 Flag of Nigeria.svg Prince Aggreh Ifeanyi Ubah 5
Flag of Nigeria.svg Kingsley Eduwo Lobi Stars 5
Flag of Nigeria.svg Daniel Etor Enugu Rangers 5
Flag of Nigeria.svg Sunday Faleye Shooting Stars 5
Flag of Nigeria.svg Austin Oladapo Gombe United 5
Flag of Nigeria.svg Sikiru Olatunbosun MFM 5

Hat-tricks

PlayerForAgainstResultDate
Stephen Odey MFM Lobi Stars 4-0 [3] 22 January 2017
Reuben Bala Plateau United ABS 4-1 [4] 26 March 2017
Mu'azzam Akwa United Shooting Stars 4-2 [5] 2 April 2017
Anthony Okpotu Lobi Stars Sunshine Stars 3-1 [6] 19 April 2017

Attendances

Rangers International drew the highest average home attendance in the NPFL.

#Football clubAverage attendance
1 Rangers International 14,651
2 Kano Pillars 12,418
3 Gombe United 4,087
4 Wikki Tourists 3,864
5 Plateau United 3,450
6 El-Kanemi Warriors 2,742
7 ABS FC 2,656
8 Sunshine Stars 1,824
9 MFM FC 1,654
10 FC Ifeanyi Ubah 1,446
11 Nasarawa United 1,364
12 Shooting Stars 1,206
13 Enyimba FC 696
14 Remo Stars 672
15 Katsina United 636
16 Abia Warriors 288
17 Lobi Stars 276
18 Akwa United 250
19 Niger Tornadoes 135
20 Rivers United 104

References

  1. "Plateau United wins Nigerian Professional Football League".
  2. "Plateau United wins Nigerian Professional Football League".
  3. "Matchday3 round-up: Champions Rangers finally off the mark, as Odey puts on show in Lagos". Archived from the original on 25 January 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  4. "NPFL Match Day 15: Plateau United back on top, Enyimba defeat Rivers United - Daily Post Nigeria" . Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  5. "NPFL: Nasarawa United thump MFM, Enyimba edge Enugu Rangers - Goal.com" . Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  6. "Okpotu's treble sink Sunshine Stars - SuperSport - Football" . Retrieved 20 April 2017.