Nigeria Premier Football League
Founded1972 (1972)
CountryNigeria
ConfederationCAF
Number of teams20
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toNigeria National League
Domestic cup(s)Tingo FA Cup
Nigerian Super Cup
International cup(s)Champions League
Confederation Cup
Current championsEnyimba(2022–23) (9th title)
Most championshipsEnyimba (9 titles)
TV partnersPropel Sports Africa NPFL Live
Websitenpfl.ng
Current: 2023–24 Nigeria Professional Football league

The Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) 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.
RankAssociation2018–19
(× 1)
2019–20
(× 2)
2020–21
(× 3)
2021–22
(× 4)
2022-23
(× 5)
Total
20232022MvtCLCCCLCCCLCCCLCCCLCC
11- Morocco 57884695≥82 180
22- Egypt 451168374≥72.5 167.5
33- Algeria 5131657165 134
45+1 +1 South Africa 6030.5825443 114
54-1 -1 Tunisia 8660435142 101
611+5 +5 Tanzania 300030.50234 56.5
76-1 -1 DR Congo 5041400312 54
87-1 -1 Angola 00.540105020 41.5
98-1 -1 Sudan 0220203030 39
10100 Guinea 3003201020 29
119-2 -2 Libya 000200.50500.5 28
12120 Nigeria 2103020002 25
1316+3 +3 Ivory Coast 1000.5000103 21
14140 Cameroon 00000300.510 16
1513-2 -2 Zambia 02.51201.500.500 15
1617+1 +1 Congo 00.500000101 9.5
1715-2 -2 Senegal 0000120000 9
1821+3 +3 Mali 0001000001 7
1930+11 +11 Togo 0000000001 5
1926+7 +7 Uganda 0000000010 5
2118-3 -3 Botswana 0000001000 4
2219-3 -3 Zimbabwe 1010000000 3
2319-4 -4 Kenya 0200000000 2
2321-2 -2 Eswatini 00000000.500 2
2323- Burkina Faso 00.50000.50000 2
2324+1 +1 Niger 00000000.500 2
2724-3 -3 Ghana 0100000000 1
2727- Mauritania 0000.5000000 1
2727- Benin 0000.5000000 1


Past champions

Champions by season

Season Winner Runners-up
National/Football League
1972 Mighty Jets Enugu Rangers
1973 Bendel Insurance
1974 Enugu Rangers
1975 Enugu Rangers
1976 IICC Shooting Stars
1977 Enugu Rangers[note 1] Stationery Stores
1978 Racca Rovers
Nigerian National League - First Division
1979 Bendel Insurance
1980 IICC Shooting Stars
1981 Rangers International
1982 Rangers International
1983 IICC Shooting Stars Bendel Insurance
1984 Rangers International New Nigerian Bank
1985 New Nigeria Bank
1986 Leventis United Enugu Rangers
1987 Iwuanyanwu Nationale
1988 Iwuanyanwu Nationale
1989 Iwuanyanwu Nationale JIB Rock Strikers
Nigerian Professional League
1990 Iwuanyanwu Nationale
1991 Julius Berger IICC Shooting Stars
1992 Stationery Stores IICC Shooting Stars
Nigeria Premier League
1993 Iwuanyanwu Nationale Bendel Insurance
1994 BCC Lions 3SC Shooting Stars
1995 Shooting Stars Enugu Rangers
1996 Udoji United Jasper United
1997 Eagle Cement Jasper United
1998 Shooting Stars Kwara United
1999 Lobi Stars Iwuanyanwu Nationale
Nigerian Premiership
2000 Julius Berger Katsina United
2001 Enyimba NPA
2002 Enyimba Enugu Rangers
Nigeria Premier League
2003 Enyimba Julius Berger
2004 Dolphin Enyimba
2005 Enyimba Enugu Rangers
2006 Ocean Boys Nasarawa United
2007 Enyimba Gombe United
2007–08 Kano Pillars Heartland
2008–09 Bayelsa United Heartland
2009–10 Enyimba Kano Pillars
2010–11 Dolphin Sunshine Stars
2011–12 Kano Pillars Enugu Rangers
2013 Kano Pillars Enyimba
Nigeria Professional Football League
2014 Kano Pillars Enyimba
2015 Enyimba Warri Wolves
2016 Rangers International Rivers United
2017 Plateau United MFM
2018
Not awarded[lower-alpha 1]
2019 Enyimba Kano Pillars
2019–20
2020–21 Akwa United Enyimba
2021–22 Rivers United Plateau United
2022–23 Enyimba Remo Stars
Nigeria Premier Football League
  1. Both Enugu Rangers and Stationery Stores finished equal on 8 points and with an equal goal difference (+4) and number of goals scored; thus the champions were decided by drawing of lots, which Rangers won.
  1. League deemed concluded after 24 matchdays with no champion.[24]
  2. League cancelled after 25 matchdays with no champion.[25]

Most titles won

Clubs Championship Years
Enyimba (Aba)92001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2015, 2019, 2022–23
Rangers International (Enugu)71974, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1984, 2016
Shooting Stars (Ibadan)51976, 1980, 1983, 1995, 1998
Heartland F.C. (Owerri)51987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993
Kano Pillars (Kano)42008, 2012, 2013, 2014
Dolphin (Port Harcourt) (Includes Eagle Cement)31997, 2004, 2011
Bendel Insurance (Benin City)21973, 1979
Julius Berger (Lagos)21991, 2000
Lobi Stars (Makurdi)11999
BCC Lions (Gboko)11994
Stationery Stores (Lagos)11992
Leventis United (Ibadan)11986
Plateau United (Jos)12017
Bayelsa United (Yenegoa)12009
Ocean Boys (Brass)12006
Udoji United (Awka)11996
New Nigeria Bank (Benin City)11985
Racca Rovers (Kano)11978
Mighty Jets (Jos)11972
Akwa United (Uyo)12021
Rivers United (Port Harcourt) 1 2022

Top scorers

Year Top scorers Club Goals
1990 [26] Nigeria Ishaya JatauIwuanyanwu Nationale17
1991 Nigeria Richard OjomoBendel United12
1992 Nigeria Arthur MosesSuper Stores10
1993 Nigeria Anthony NwaigweIwuanyanwu Nationale13
1994 Nigeria Olumide HarrisShooting Stars14
1995 Nigeria Ben AgawamGombe United12
1996 Nigeria Peter AnyiolobiEnyimba9
1997 Democratic Republic of the Congo Paul KpoughoulJasper United/BCC Lions16
1998 Nigeria Hassan MinnaGombe United14
1999 Nigeria Emmanuel AgoIwuanyanwu Nationale14
2000 Nigeria Peter IjehJulius Berger14
2001 Nigeria Uche OkerekeEnugu Rangers13
2002 Ghana Joetex FrimpongEl-Kanemi Warriors16
2003 Nigeria Chibuzor Ozurumba

Nigeria Endurance Idahor
Iwuanyanwu Nationale

Julius Berger
13
2004 Nigeria Kabiru AlausaJulius Berger13
2005 Nigeria Timothy Anjembe

NigeriaJoseph Akpala
Lobi Stars

Bendel Insurance
12
2006 Nigeria Ikechukwu IbenegbuEl-Kanemi Warriors10
2007 Nigeria Aruwa AmehKaduna United10
2008 Nigeria Abubakar BabaleWikki Tourists/Sunshine Stars14
2009 Nigeria Orok AkarandutAkwa United17
2010 Nigeria Ahmed MusaKano Pillars18
2011 Nigeria Jude AnekeKaduna United20
2012 [27] Nigeria Sibi GwarNiger Tornadoes17
2013 [27] Nigeria Victor NamoNasarawa United18
2014 [27] Nigeria Mfon UdohEnyimba23
2015 [28] Nigeria Gbolahan SalamiWarri Wolves17
2016 [27] Nigeria Godwin ObajeWikki Tourists18
2017 Nigeria Anthony OkpotuLobi Stars19
2018[6] Nigeria Junior LokosaKano Pillars19
2019 Nigeria Mfon Udoh

Nigeria Sunusi Ibrahim

Akwa United

Nasarawa United
10
2019–20 Nigeria Israel Abia [note 1]Enugu Rangers12
2020–21 Nigeria Silas Nwankwo

Nigeria Charles Atshimene

Nasarawa UnitedAkwa United19
2021–22 Nigeria Chijioke Akuneto[29] Rivers United 19
2022–23 Nigeria 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. 1 2 "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. "League Management Company Public Statement After Consultative Meeting With Club Owners & Representatives". NPFL. 31 August 2018. Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  25. "Coronavirus:2019–20 NPFL season cancelled without promotion or relegation". Goal. 10 July 2020.
  26. "The Nigerian league's top scorers' jinx – SuperSport – Football". SuperSport. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  27. 1 2 3 4 "ODEY'S TARGET: Top Scorers In Last Five NPFL Seasons". Complete Sports. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  28. "Gbolahan Salami finishes as NPFL's top scorer". DailyPost Nigeria. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  29. "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.

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