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The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) (formerly the Nigeria 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.
| Founded | 1972 |
|---|---|
| Country | Nigeria |
| Confederation | CAF |
| Number of clubs | 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 (407) |
| TV partners | Propel Sports Africa StarTimes |
| Website | npfl.com.ng |
| Current: 2024–25 Nigeria Premier Football League | |
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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).
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]
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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.
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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 Nigeria 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]
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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]
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 |
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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 |
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Champions by season
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, 2021–22 |
| 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 | 2020–21 |
| Season | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990[24] | Ishaya Jatau | Iwuanyanwu Nationale | 17 |
| 1991 | Richard Ojomo | Bendel United | 12 |
| 1992 | Arthur Moses | Stationery 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 | 13 |
| 2002 | Joetex Frimpong Victor Ezeji | El-Kanemi Warriors Sharks | 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 | 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 | 16 |
| 2023–24 | Chijioke Mbaoma | Enyimba | 17 |
- Leading goalscorer as at the time of cancellation.
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