Nigeria Professional Football League

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	Enyimba(2022–23) (9th title)
Most championships	Enyimba (9 titles)
TV partners	Propel Sports Africa NPFL Live
Website	npfl.ng
Current: 2023–24 Nigeria Professional 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 Interim Management Committee Board headed by Mr. Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye.

Name

It is currently known as the Nigerian Premier Football League. ^{[3] [4]} It was previously known as the "Nigeria Premier League" in 1993–2000 then secondly between 2003 and 2013.

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 Enugu Rangers. ^[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 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

Past champions

Champions by season

Année	Champion
1972	Mighty Jets (1)
1973	Bendel Insurance (1)
1974	Enugu Rangers (1)
1975	Enugu Rangers (2)
1976	Shooting Stars (1)
1977	Enugu Rangers (3)
1978	Racca Rovers (1)
1979	Bendel Insurance (2)
1980	Shooting Stars (2)
1981	Enugu Rangers (4)
1982	Enugu Rangers (5)
1983	Shooting Stars (3)
1984	Enugu Rangers (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 FC (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 FC (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 FC (3)
2012	Kano Pillars FC (2)
2013	Kano Pillars FC (3)
2014	Kano Pillars FC (4)
2015	Enyimba FC (7)
2016	Enugu Rangers (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 (1)
2023	Enyimba FC (9)
2024

Most titles won

Clubs	Championship	Years
Enyimba (Aba)	9	2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2015, 2019, 2022–23
Rangers International (Enugu)	7	1974, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1984, 2016
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
Dolphin (Port Harcourt) (Includes Eagle Cement)	3	1997, 2004, 2011
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
Rivers United (Port Harcourt)	1	2022

Top scorers

Year	Top scorers	Club	Goals
1990 [24]	Ishaya Jatau	Iwuanyanwu Nationale	17
1991	Richard Ojomo	Bendel United	12
1992	Arthur Moses	Super 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	Enugu Rangers	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]	Enugu Rangers	12
2020–21	Silas Nwankwo Charles Atshimene	Nasarawa United Akwa United	19
2021–22	Chijioke Akuneto [27]	Rivers United	19
2022–23	Chukwuemeka Obioma	Enyimba F.C.	16

1. Leading goalscorer as at the time of cancellation.

References

1. Walker, Andrew (28 July 2008). "Africa | Is Premier League killing Nigerian football?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 15 January 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
2. Category: Weekend. "Guardian News Website – Dwindling fortunes of Nigeria's premier league". Ngrguardiannews.com. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
3. "NPFL:new name for Nigerian league". dailypost.ng. 8 January 2023. Archived from the original on 11 June 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
4. "NFF approves NPFL name change". dailypost.ng. 10 September 2023. Archived from the original on 11 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
5. "NFF, LMC sign strategic pact with Morocco football authorities". Archived from the original on 30 May 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
6. "Lokosa Gets Eunisell's N3.8m, Trophy as NPFL Top Scorer". ThisDay. Archived from the original on 22 January 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
7. "Plateau United wins Nigerian Professional Football League". Vanguardngr.com. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
8. "Nigerian league postponed indefinitely". Bbc.co.uk. 17 July 2018. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
9. "LMC announces indefinite postponement of NPFL resumption". Nigeria Professional Football League. 16 July 2018. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
10. Harry, Iwuala (1 September 2018). "LMC Document on season conclusion". npfl.ng. League Management Company. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
11. "NFF gives Nigeria Premier League green light on its AGM". Goal.com . 29 November 2012. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
12. Segun, Solomon (26 April 2014). "History of the Nigerian Premier League". yeswefoot.com. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
13. "Kudos to the League Management Company". Vanguardngr.com. 7 October 2016. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
14. "About League Management Company". Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
15. "Faqs". Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
16. "Nigeria Football League gets 34 million dollars TV rights deal". venturesafrica.com. 20 August 2013. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
17. "Supersports pulls out of partnership with NPFL". Nationaldailyng.com. 24 April 2017. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
18. Ahmadu, Samuel (22 August 2015). "Shehu Dikko appeals to governors for stadia facilities upgrade". Goal. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
19. "About the LMC". npfl.ng. Archived from the original on 16 April 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
20. "Nigeria Football Federation adopts FIFA TMS domestic transfer matching system". FIFA.com . 5 July 2016. Archived from the original on 1 January 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
21. "Shehu Dikko is the new League Management Company boss". Goal.com . Archived from the original on 30 April 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
22. "Kenyan League ranked Worst in Africa". Nairobi Wire. Archived from the original on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
23. "KPL becomes last in IFFHS World rankings". Archived from the original on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
24. "The Nigerian league's top scorers' jinx – SuperSport – Football". SuperSport. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
25. "ODEY'S TARGET: Top Scorers In Last Five NPFL Seasons". Complete Sports. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
26. "Gbolahan Salami finishes as NPFL's top scorer". DailyPost Nigeria. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
27. "3.8m and Golden boot: Charles Akuneto receives his NPFL top scorer prize". Nigeria sports news, transfers & gossips. 14 September 2022. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.

External links

• Competition history & statistics – RSSSF