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2023–24 Nigeria Premier Football League

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The 2023–24 Nigeria Premier Football League was the 53rd season of Nigeria's top-flight association football league, 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]

Nigeria Premier Football League
Season2023–24
Dates30 September 2023 – 23 June 2024
ChampionsEnugu Rangers (8th title)
Relegated
Champions League
Confederation Cup
Matches played380
Goals scored848 (2.23 per match)
Top goalscorerChijioke Mbaoma (17 goals)
Biggest home winRivers United 6–0 Gombe United (15 June 2024)
Biggest away winHeartland 1–5 Plateau United (28 February 2024)
Highest scoringBayelsa United 5–3 Akwa United
(30 September 2023)
Longest winning runEnugu Rangers (5 matches)
Longest unbeaten runEnugu Rangers (10 matches)
Longest winless runHeartland (11 matches)
Longest losing runGombe United (6 matches)
All statistics correct as of 23 June 2024.

Enyimba were the defending champions, after finishing top of the Championship round at the previous season.[4] On 17 June 2024, Enugu Rangers won their eighth NPFL title with a game to spare.[5]

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.[6] Thus, this makes the NPFL the first African football league to deploy artificial intelligence at games.[7]

This season also sees an increase of N50 million in prize money for the champions.[3] Also, The NPFL secured $1 Billion Broadcast sponsorship deal with Chinese satellite provider StarTimes, for five years.[8]

Teams

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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 became 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 replaced Wikki Tourists, Nasarawa United, El-Kanemi Warriors and Dakkada, who were relegated to the Nigeria National League.

Teams information

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Locations of the 2023–24 Nigeria Premier Football League teams
Team Location Kit Supplier Shirt Sponsor Stadium Capacity
Abia Warriors Umuahia Owu Eunisell Umuahia Township Stadium
Enyimba International Stadium[a] 		5,000
Akwa United Uyo Owu 1xBet Godswill Akpabio Stadium
Eket Stadium 		30,000
18,000
Bayelsa United Yenagoa GDF _ Samson Siasia Stadium 5,000
Bendel Insurance Benin City Fourteen Sterling Bank Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium 12,000
Doma United Gombe Cone Sport _ Pantami Stadium 12,000
Enugu Rangers Enugu Cone Sport Afrinvest,Shopurban, Senior Barman Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium 22,000
Enyimba Aba KK Stake.com, United Nigeria Airlines Enyimba International Stadium 16,000
Gombe United Gombe Cone Sport _ Pantami Stadium 12,000
Heartland Owerri _ _ Dan Anyiam Stadium
Awka City Stadium[b] 		10,000
Kano Pillars Kano Play Rambo Sani Abacha Stadium 16,000
Katsina United Katsina Owu _ Muhammadu Dikko Stadium 35,000
Kwara United Ilorin Owu _ Kwara State Stadium 18,000
Lobi Stars Makurdi Owu _ Lafia Township Stadium[c] 10,000
Niger Tornadoes Minna Cone Sport _ Ahmadu Bello Stadium [d] 16,000
Plateau United Jos Kapspor _ New Jos Stadium 60,000
Remo Stars Ikenne Cone Sport Bet9ja Remo Stars Stadium 5,000
Rivers United Port Harcourt Owu _ Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium 40,000
Shooting Stars Ibadan Cone Sport Peculiar Adamasingba Stadium 10,000
Sporting Lagos Lagos Umbro Klasha, Choplife Onikan Stadium 10,000
Sunshine Stars Akure Cone Sport _ Akure Township Stadium 5,000
  1. ^ Abia Warriors played some of their games at Aba as their original stadium failed to meet the requirements.
  2. ^ Heartland played their second round games at Awka.[9]
  3. ^ Lobi Stars played their home matches at Lafia Township Stadium, Lafia instead of Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi due to renovation works.[10]
  4. ^ Niger Tornadoes home stadium was not approved, so they play in their adopted home in Kaduna.

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Enugu Rangers (C) 38 21 7 10 56 33 +23 70 Qualification for the Champions League
2 Remo Stars 38 20 5 13 53 39 +14 65
3 Enyimba 38 19 6 13 46 33 +13 63 Qualification for the Confederation Cup
4 Shooting Stars 38 18 8 12 48 34 +14 62
5 Plateau United 38 18 4 16 53 40 +13 58
6 Lobi Stars 38 17 7 14 48 45 +3 58
7 Katsina United 38 15 10 13 42 39 +3 55
8 Rivers United 38 15 8 15 51 42 +9 53
9 Bendel Insurance 38 14 11 13 32 30 +2 53
10 Sunshine Stars 38 13 13 12 37 37 0 52
11 Kano Pillars 38 15 7 16 49 50 −1 52
12 Abia Warriors 38 15 7 16 42 45 −3 52
13 Kwara United 38 12 15 11 38 37 +1 51
14 Niger Tornadoes 38 14 9 15 38 41 −3 51
15 Bayelsa United 38 13 11 14 46 50 −4 50
16 Akwa United 38 14 7 17 44 42 +2 49
17 Sporting Lagos (R) 38 12 10 16 39 44 −5 46 Relegation to the National League
18 Doma United (R) 38 11 11 16 26 42 −16 44
19 Heartland (R) 38 9 11 18 36 50 −14 38
20 Gombe United[a] (R) 38 8 7 23 21 78 −57 25
Source: NPFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Gombe United were deducted 6 points and 6 goals.[11][12]

Results

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Home \ Away ABW AKW BAY BEN DOM ENU ENY GOM HEA KAN KAT KWA LOB NIG PLA REM RIV 3SC SPL SUN
Abia Warriors 2–0 1–0 0–0 3–0 1–0 0–1 3–1 1–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 0–0 2–0 3–2 1–1 0–0
Akwa United 3–1 0–1 3–1 0–1 1–0 3–1 1–0 2–0 3–0 3–1 1–1 1–0 4–1 0–0 3–2 3–1 0–0 0–0 0–0
Bayelsa United 2–2 5–3 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–2 2–0 1–0 2–1 1–1 2–1 1–2 0–1 3–2 1–2 2–1 2–1 2–2 1–1
Bendel Insurance 1–0 0–0 0–2 4–0 2–0 0–0 2–0 1–0 2–1 2–0 2–2 1–0 1–3 1–0 1–0 2–1 2–0 3–1 1–0
Doma United 1–1 1–0 2–0 0–0 0–1 1–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 2–0 0–0 1–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 1–1 0–1 0–0 0–1
Enugu Rangers 3–2 1–0 3–0 2–0 2–1 3–0 4–1 2–0 4–1 0–0 0–0 2–1 2–1 2–0 1–0 1–0 2–0 2–0 2–0
Enyimba 2–1 3–2 1–1 2–1 0–0 1–1 4–0 1–0 5–0 1–0 1–0 1–0 3–1 2–0 0–1 4–1 1–0 2–0 1–0
Gombe United 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–0 0–3 1–2 2–0 2–0 2–5 1–0 1–2 3–2 1–0 1–0 0–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2
Heartland 2–0 1–0 2–2 1–0 3–1 1–2 0–1 3–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–0 1–5 3–1 1–1 1–0 3–1 1–1
Kano Pillars 0–1 1–0 3–0 0–0 3–1 1–1 1–0 4–0 2–1 1–0 2–1 3–2 1–1 2–1 2–1 1–0 1–2 1–0 5–1
Katsina United 2–1 1–0 1–1 1–0 2–0 4–3 2–1 4–0 1–1 3–2 1–0 0–0 1–0 2–1 2–0 1–0 2–2 2–0 3–2
Kwara United 1–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 0–0 1–1 2–1 2–0 4–0 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–0 2–1 3–2 0–0 1–1 2–1 1–0
Lobi Stars 2–0 1–2 1–1 0–0 2–1 2–1 1–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 2–0 4–3 1–0 2–1 3–2 3–2 2–1 1–0 3–2
Niger Tornadoes 1–0 1–0 1–0 0–0 2–0 0–2 0–0 5–0 3–2 1–0 0–0 1–1 3–2 2–3 0–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 2–1
Plateau United 3–1 1–2 5–1 2–0 4–0 2–1 1–0 4–0 1–0 1–1 1–0 2–0 2–1 0–0 1–0 3–2 0–0 1–0 1–0
Remo Stars 2–1 2–1 1–0 2–0 0–0 2–1 1–0 4–0 4–1 2–1 2–1 2–0 2–0 3–0 1–0 2–1 3–0 2–1 2–0
Rivers United 2–1 2–1 2–0 1–1 3–2 2–0 2–0 6–0 1–0 1–1 2–0 0–0 1–0 3–2 3–1 2–0 1–0 4–1 1–1
Shooting Stars 4–0 3–0 1–0 1–0 3–1 1–0 1–2 2–1 0–0 1–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 4–1 2–1 2–0 1–0 1–0 2–0
Sporting Lagos 4–2 2–1 1–1 1–0 0–0 0–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 3–0 1–0 2–0 1–1 2–1 1–2 4–1 1–0 2–2 1–0
Sunshine Stars 2–1 2–0 1–1 0–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–0 1–0 1–1 2–0 0–0 3–1 2–1 1–0 1–0 1–0
Source: NPFL
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Positions by round

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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 ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
Abia Warriors51231058591278898888910111110810101010911121111121314131012
Akwa United1918202020161718171817181617181916181616191918191718171818181818151415141616
Bayelsa United16131911171919181919201720192020191918161415151815181515151716181817161515
Bendel Insurance10315913776867574767788910899910108981079799
Doma United1448141618124132323233436789111213131112131415171618181818
Enugu Rangers372313235691212109991087643432111111111111
Enyimba1120141818191617854545544553415253424223222333
Gombe United209156461115141616171415121413151819171817181919202020202020202020202020
Heartland817191719202020202020192018201719202020202020202020191919191919191919191919
Kano Pillars161118914510813137486765645366667688981091010101211
Katsina United61312138151411111214151611151112899977788777777787877
Kwara United171411121112151416911131314111214161314131616171517151616141214111113111313
Lobi Stars92726211213232322112121111232335555666
Niger Tornadoes18151671215181619171816191916181514171715171916141614129101012131212121414
Plateau United151017813786710121064657364532324555646666555
Remo Stars125513142421111111221254545343452333222
Rivers United1319915101091210151515181617161713121010121314161416171717159898988
Shooting Stars416442435345679101310111112121111976866564444444
Sporting Lagos21611796109141091012141518171513141312121311111313111313141716171717
Sunshine Stars78101617141313151113111111131011121415181514131112121414161617161511151110
Leader
Champions League
Confederation Cup
Relegation to Nigeria National League
Source: World Football

Statistics

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Top scorers

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As of 23 June 2024
Rank Player Club Goals
1   Chijioke Mbaoma Enyimba 17
2   Sikiru Alimi Remo Stars 15
3   Albert Hilary Plateau United 12
  Jonathan Alukwu Sporting Lagos
  Godwin Obaje Enugu Rangers
  Hashiri Usman Niger Tornadoes
7   Ibrahim Mustapha Kano Pillars 11
  Sani Suleiman Akwa United
  Ubong Friday
11   Robert Mizo Bayelsa United 10
  Rabiu Ali Kano Pillars
  Michael Okoro Ibe Katsina United
  Christian Pyagbara Shooting Stars

Hat-tricks

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Player For Against Score Date Ref(s)
  Robert Mizo Bayelsa United Akwa United 5–3 (H) 30 September 2023 [13]
  Yusuf Abdullahi5 Kano Pillars Gombe United 5–2 (A) 3 December 2023 [14]
  Albert Hilary Plateau United Bayelsa United 5–1 (H) 17 December 2023 [15]
  Nyima Nwagua Rivers United Doma United 3–2 (H) 18 February 2024 [16]
Notes

5 Player scored 5 goals
(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team

Monthly awards

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Month Player of the Month Manager of the Month Ref.
Player Club Manager Club
September/October   Robert Mizo Bayelsa United   Daniel Ogunmodede Remo Stars
[17]
November   Kingdom Osayi Doma United   Akinade Onigbinde Doma United
[18]
December   Albert Hilary Plateau United   Mbwas Mangut Plateau United
[19]
February   Ibrahim Mustapha Kano Pillars   Meremu Okara Bayelsa United
[20]
March   Sani Suleiman Akwa United   Fidelis Ilechukwu Enugu Rangers
[21]
April   Clinton Jephta Niger Tornadoes   Gbenga Ogunbote Shooting Stars
[22]

References

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  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. ^ a b "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. ^ "Enugu Rangers won eighth NPFL title". The Punch. 16 June 2024.
  6. ^ "MTN to co-sponsor Nigerian football league with GTI, Propel Sports Africa". Premium Times Nigeria. 20 September 2023.
  7. ^ "GTI unveils AI cameras for NPFL coverage". The Punch. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  8. ^ "NPFL, StarTimes sign N1.6bn 5-year television sponsorship deal". The Sun. 3 November 2023.
  9. ^ Adesanya, Taiwo (1 February 2024). "Heartland adopt Awka City Stadium as new home ground". dailypost.ng.
  10. ^ "Lobi Stars adopt Lafia City Stadium as home ground for new season". Daily Post. 19 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Gombe docked three points, fined N2.5M". punchng.com. 9 January 2024.
  12. ^ "NPFL:Gombe United docked 3 points for assault on match officials". leadership.ng. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Mizo hat-trick as goals rain flood Yenagoa". Punchng.com. 1 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Kano Pillars Yusuf nets 5 goals, secures win against Gombe United". leadership.ng. 3 December 2023.
  15. ^ "NPFL: Plateau's Hilary bags hat-trick in Bayelsa rout". Punchng.com. 18 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Nwagua bags hattrick in thrilling Rivers win". The Punch. 19 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Ogunmodede, Mizo scoop NPFL awards". Punchng.com. 12 November 2023.
  18. ^ "NPFL 24:Doma United duo Onigbinde, Osayi scoop monthly awards". Royaltimes. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Plateau United's Hilary,Mangut win NPFL Player, Coach of the month award". dailypost.ng. 16 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Mustapha,Okara win NPFL player,coach of the month award". dailypost.ng. 13 March 2024.
  21. ^ Taiwo, Adesanya (7 April 2024). "Suleiman, Ilechukwu win NPFL Player, Coach of the Month award for March". dailypost.ng.
  22. ^ Adesanya, Taiwo (11 May 2024). "Clinton Jephta, Ogunbote win NPFL Player, Coach of the Month award". dailypost.ng.
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