Nigeria Premier Football League
Season2023–24
Dates30 September 2023 - 9 June 2024
PromotedHeartland
Kano Pillars
Sporting Lagos
Katsina United
Matches played99
Goals scored197 (1.99 per match)
Top goalscorerSikiru Alimi
(8 goals)
Biggest away winGombe United 0–3 Doma United (5 November 2023)
Highest scoringBayelsa United 5–3 Akwa United
(30 September 2023)
Longest winning run4 teams (3 matches)
Longest unbeaten runDoma United (6 matches)
Longest winless runHeartland (10 matches)
Longest losing runBayelsa United & Gombe United (3 matches)
2024–25 →
All statistics correct as of 29 November 2023.

The 2023–24 Nigeria Premier Football League is the 53rd season of Nigeria's top-flight association football, the 34th since attaining professionalism and the first under the current name.[1] The season commenced on 30 September 2023 after initial delays.[2][3] Enyimba are the defending champions, after finishing top of the Championship round at the previous season;[4] having won their 9th title the previous season, they can become the first Nigerian football club to win ten titles.

This season sees the Interim Management Committee (IMC) entering into a partnership with technology firm GTI Investment, Propel Sports Africa and MTN to sponsor the league, with an exclusive broadcast right that shall cover eight live games every weekend and 300 throughout the season.[5] Thus, this makes the NPFL the first African football league to deploy artificial intelligence at games.[6]

This season also sees an increase of N50 million in prize money for the champions.[3]

Teams

Twenty teams are competing in the league – the top sixteen teams from the previous season and the four teams promoted from the Nigeria National League. The promoted teams are Heartland, Sporting Lagos, Kano Pillars and Katsina United. This is Sporting Lagos's first season in the Nigeria Professional Football League. With their promotion, Sporting Lagos will become the first team to have been promoted after the first season of their creation. Heartland, Katsina United and Kano Pillars also returned to the top-flight after getting relegated two seasons ago. They will replace Wikki Tourists, Nasarawa United, El-Kanemi Warriors and Dakkada, who were relegated to the Nigeria National League.

Teams information

Team Location Stadium Capacity
Abia Warriors Umuahia Umuahia Township Stadium 5,000
Akwa United Uyo Godswill Akpabio Stadium 30,000
Bayelsa United Yenagoa Samson Siasia Stadium 5,000
Bendel Insurance Benin City Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium 12,000
Doma United Gombe Pantami Stadium 12,000
Enugu Rangers Enugu Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium 22,000
Enyimba Aba Enyimba International Stadium 16,000
Gombe United Gombe Pantami Stadium 12,000
Heartland Owerri Dan Anyiam Stadium 10,000
Kwara United Ilorin Kwara State Stadium 18,000
Kano Pillars Kano Sani Abacha Stadium 16,000
Katsina United Katsina Muhammadu Dikko Stadium 35,000
Lobi Stars Makurdi Aper Aku Stadium 8,000
Niger Tornadoes Minna TBA[7] TBA
Plateau United Jos New Jos Stadium 60,000
Remo Stars Ikenne Remo Stars Stadium 5,000
Rivers United Port Harcourt Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium 40,000
Shooting Stars Ibadan Adamasingba Stadium 10,000
Sporting Lagos Lagos Onikan Stadium 10,000
Sunshine Stars Akure Akure Township Stadium 5,000

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Lobi Stars 10 6 2 2 14 9 +5 20 Qualification for the Champions League
2 Remo Stars 10 6 1 3 16 9 +7 19
3 Doma United 10 5 3 2 10 5 +5 18 Qualification for the Confederation Cup
4 Shooting Stars 10 5 2 3 14 12 +2 17
5 Enyimba 10 5 1 4 8 8 0 16
6 Enugu Rangers 10 4 3 3 15 11 +4 15
7 Abia Warriors 10 5 0 5 9 11 −2 15
8 Bendel Insurance 10 3 5 2 7 5 +2 14
9 Kwara United 10 3 4 3 10 9 +1 13
10 Plateau United 9 4 1 4 7 6 +1 13
11 Sunshine Stars 10 3 4 3 13 13 0 13
12 Katsina United 10 3 4 3 8 8 0 13
13 Kano Pillars 10 4 1 5 7 10 −3 13
14 Sporting Lagos 10 3 3 4 10 8 +2 12
15 Rivers United 9 3 3 3 7 6 +1 12
16 Gombe United 10 4 0 6 6 14 −8 12
17 Niger Tornadoes 10 3 2 5 6 10 −4 11 Relegation to the National League
18 Akwa United 10 2 4 4 9 12 −3 10
19 Bayelsa United 10 2 3 5 13 18 −5 9
20 Heartland 10 0 6 4 8 13 −5 6
Updated to match(es) played on 29 November 2023. Source: NPFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored

Results

Home \ Away ABW AKW BAY BEN DOM ENU ENY GOM HEA KAN KAT KWA LOB NIG PLA REM RIV 3SC SPL SUN
Abia Warriors 1–0 1–0 1–0 2–1 1–0
Akwa United 1–0 0–0 3–2 0–0 0–0
Bayelsa United 5–3 2–1 1–2 1–2 1–1
Bendel Insurance 0–0 2–2 1–0 1–0 2–0
Doma United 1–0 2–0 0–0 1–0 1–0
Enugu Rangers 2–1 2–0 4–1 0–0 2–1
Enyimba 3–2 2–1 1–0 1–0 0–1
Gombe United 1–0 0–3 2–0 1–0 1–0
Heartland 2–2 0–1 1–1 2–2 1–1
Kano Pillars 3–0 0–0 1–0 1–0 1–0
Katsina United 1–1 1–0 0–0 1–0 3–2
Kwara United 1–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–1
Lobi Stars 2–0 2–1 2–1 1–0 3–2
Niger Tornadoes 1–0 1–0 0–0 0–0 1–0
Plateau United 3–1 1–0 1–0 1–0
Remo Stars 0–0 2–1 4–0 3–0 2–1
Rivers United 2–1 0–0 1–0 2–0 1–1
Shooting Stars 3–1 2–1 1–0 4–1 2–1
Sporting Lagos 0–0 2–0 1–1 3–0 2–1
Sunshine Stars 2–1 2–2 1–1 1–0 1–0
Updated to match(es) played on 29 November 2023. Source: NPFL
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Positions by round

To preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for round 7, but then played between rounds 8 and 9, it will be added to the standings for round 8.

Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829
Abia Warriors5123105859127
Akwa United19182020201617181718
Bayelsa United161319111719191819
Bendel Insurance103159137768
Doma United144814161812413
Enugu Rangers3723132356
Enyimba112014181819161785
Gombe United2091564611151416
Heartland8171917192020202020
Kano Pillars16111891451081313
Katsina United613121381514111112
Kwara United1714111211121514169
Lobi Stars9272621121
Niger Tornadoes1815167121518161917
Plateau United151017813786710
Remo Stars12551314242
Rivers United131991510109121015
Shooting Stars41644243534
Sporting Lagos2161179610914
Sunshine Stars781016171413131511
Leader
Champions League
Confederation Cup
Relegation to Nigeria National League
Updated to match(es) played on 29 November 2023. Source: World Football

Statistics

Top scorers

As of 29 November 2023
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Nigeria Sikiru Alimi Remo Stars 8
2 Nigeria Robert Mizo Bayelsa United 7
3 Nigeria Jonathan Alukwu Sporting Lagos 5
4 Nigeria Michael Olalusi Shooting Stars 4
Nigeria Tiza Iorwuese Lobi Stars
Nigeria Alex Oyowah Rivers United
Nigeria Kareem Ademola Shooting Stars
8
7 players
 3

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Score Date Ref(s)
Nigeria Robert Mizo Bayelsa United Akwa United 5–3 (H) 30 September 2023 [8]
Notes


(H) – Home team

Monthly Awards

Month Player of the Month Manager of the Month Ref.
Player Club Manager Club
September/October Nigeria Robert Mizo Bayelsa United Nigeria Daniel Ogunmodede Remo Stars

References

  1. ↑ "NFF approves NPFL name change". Dailypost.ng. 10 September 2023.
  2. ↑ "2023–24 NPFL season finally set to begin on September 30 after delays". National Trial Online. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  3. 1 2 "NPFL announces September 30 kick off date, N150 million prize money for champions". Prime Business Africa. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  4. ↑ "NPFL: Enyimba Draw With Rivers Utd To Win Record Ninth Title – Channels Television".
  5. ↑ "MTN to co-sponsor Nigerian football league with GTI, Propel Sports Africa". Premium Times Nigeria. 20 September 2023.
  6. ↑ "GTI unveils AI cameras for NPFL coverage". The Punch. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  7. ↑ Niger Tornadoes does not have an approved stadium
  8. ↑ "Mizo hat-trick as goals rain flood Yenagoa". Punchng.com. 1 October 2023.
  9. ↑ "Ogunmodede, Mizo scoop NPFL awards". Punchng.com. 12 November 2023.
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