2023–24 Nigeria Premier Football League
| Season | 2023–24 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 30 September 2023 - 9 June 2024 |
| Matches played | 315 |
| Goals scored | 669 (2.12 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Sikiru Alimi (14 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Enyimba 5–0 Kano Pillars (3 April 2024) Niger Tornadoes 5–0 Gombe United (7 April 2024) |
| Biggest away win | Heartland 1–5 Plateau United (28 February 2024) |
| Highest scoring | Bayelsa United 5–3 Akwa United (30 September 2023) |
| Longest winning run | Enugu Rangers (5 matches) |
| Longest unbeaten run | Enugu Rangers (10 matches) |
| Longest winless run | Heartland (11 matches) |
| Longest losing run | 4 teams (3 matches) |
← 2022–23 2024–25 →
All statistics correct as of 30 April 2024. | |
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] Also, The NPFL secured $1 Billion Broadcast sponsorship deal with Chinese Satellite Provider, StarTimes For Five Years.
Teams[edit]
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[edit]
League table[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enugu Rangers | 32 | 17 | 6 | 9 | 46 | 31 | +15 | 57 | Qualification for the Champions League |
| 2 | Remo Stars | 31 | 16 | 5 | 10 | 38 | 27 | +11 | 53 | |
| 3 | Enyimba | 32 | 16 | 5 | 11 | 37 | 26 | +11 | 53 | Qualification for the Confederation Cup |
| 4 | Shooting Stars | 32 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 39 | 29 | +10 | 52 | |
| 5 | Lobi Stars | 32 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 36 | 31 | +5 | 52 | |
| 6 | Plateau United | 32 | 16 | 2 | 14 | 46 | 33 | +13 | 50 | |
| 7 | Katsina United | 32 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 32 | 30 | +2 | 48 | |
| 8 | Bendel Insurance | 32 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 28 | 25 | +3 | 45 | |
| 9 | Kano Pillars | 32 | 13 | 5 | 14 | 40 | 41 | −1 | 44 | |
| 10 | Niger Tornadoes | 31 | 12 | 6 | 13 | 29 | 32 | −3 | 42 | |
| 11 | Sporting Lagos | 32 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 33 | 34 | −1 | 41 | |
| 12 | Abia Warriors | 31 | 12 | 5 | 14 | 34 | 38 | −4 | 41 | |
| 13 | Rivers United | 27 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 33 | 25 | +8 | 40 | |
| 14 | Kwara United | 31 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 25 | 28 | −3 | 40 | |
| 15 | Doma United | 32 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 32 | −10 | 40 | |
| 16 | Bayelsa United | 32 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 36 | 41 | −5 | 39 | |
| 17 | Akwa United | 32 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 34 | 35 | −1 | 37 | |
| 18 | Sunshine Stars | 31 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 28 | 34 | −6 | 36 | Relegation to the National League |
| 19 | Heartland | 32 | 6 | 11 | 15 | 28 | 39 | −11 | 29 | |
| 20 | Gombe United[a] | 32 | 8 | 7 | 17 | 25 | 58 | −33 | 25 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
Notes:
Results[edit]
Positions by round[edit]
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.
| Leader | |
| Champions League | |
| Confederation Cup | |
| Relegation to Nigeria National League |
Statistics[edit]
Top scorers[edit]
- As of 30 April 2024
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Sikiru Alimi
|
Remo Stars | 14 |
| 2 | Chijioke Mbaoma
|
Enyimba | 13 |
| 3 | Albert Hilary
|
Plateau United | 12 |
| 4 | Robert Mizo
|
Bayelsa United | 10 |
| 5 | Ibrahim Mustapha
|
Kano Pillars | 9 |
| Godwin Obaje
|
Enugu Rangers | ||
| 7 | Rabiu Ali
|
Kano Pillars | 8 |
| Andrew Idoko
|
Katsina United | ||
| Jonathan Alukwu
|
Sporting Lagos | ||
| Hashiri Usman
|
Niger Tornadoes | ||
| Ubong Friday
|
Akwa United |
Hat-tricks[edit]
| Player | For | Against | Score | Date | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Mizo
|
Bayelsa United | Akwa United | 5–3 (H) | 30 September 2023 | [11] |
| Yusuf Abdullahi5
|
Kano Pillars | Gombe United | 5–2 (A) | 3 December 2023 | [12] |
| Albert Hilary
|
Plateau United | Bayelsa United | 5–1 (H) | 17 December 2023 | [13] |
| Nyima Nwagua
|
Rivers United | Doma United | 3–2 (H) | 18 February 2024 | [14] |
- Notes
5 Player scored 5 goals
(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team
Monthly awards[edit]
| Month | Player of the Month | Manager of the Month | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Club | Manager | Club | ||
| September/October | Robert Mizo
|
Bayelsa United | Daniel Ogunmodede
|
Remo Stars | |
| November | Kingdom Osayi
|
Doma United | Akinade Onigbinde
|
Doma United | |
| December | Albert Hilary
|
Plateau United | Mbwas Mangut
|
Plateau United | |
| February | Ibrahim Mustapha
|
Kano Pillars | Meremu Okara
|
Bayelsa United | |
| March | Sani Suleiman
|
Akwa United | Fidelis Ilechukwu
|
Enugu Rangers | |
References[edit]
- ^ "NFF approves NPFL name change". Dailypost.ng. 10 September 2023.
- ^ "2023–24 NPFL season finally set to begin on September 30 after delays". National Trial Online. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ a b "NPFL announces September 30 kick off date, N150 million prize money for champions". Prime Business Africa. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ "NPFL: Enyimba Draw With Rivers Utd To Win Record Ninth Title – Channels Television".
- ^ "MTN to co-sponsor Nigerian football league with GTI, Propel Sports Africa". Premium Times Nigeria. 20 September 2023.
- ^ "GTI unveils AI cameras for NPFL coverage". The Punch. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ^ Lobi Stars home stadium wasn't approved, so they play in their adopted home in Lafia
- ^ Niger Tornadoes home stadium wasn't approved, so they play in their adopted home in Kaduna
- ^ "Gombe docked three points, fined N2.5M". punchng.com. 9 January 2024.
- ^ "NPFL:Gombe United docked 3 points for assault on match officials". leadership.ng. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
- ^ "Mizo hat-trick as goals rain flood Yenagoa". Punchng.com. 1 October 2023.
- ^ "Kano Pillars Yusuf nets 5 goals, secures win against Gombe United". leadership.ng. 3 December 2023.
- ^ "NPFL: Plateau's Hilary bags hat-trick in Bayelsa rout". Punchng.com. 18 December 2023.
- ^ "Nwagua bags hattrick in thrilling Rivers win". The Punch. 19 February 2024.
- ^ "Ogunmodede, Mizo scoop NPFL awards". Punchng.com. 12 November 2023.
- ^ "NPFL 24:Doma United duo Onigbinde, Osayi scoop monthly awards". Royaltimes. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- ^ "Plateau United's Hilary,Mangut win NPFL Player, Coach of the month award". dailypost.ng. 16 January 2024.
- ^ "Mustapha,Okara win NPFL player,coach of the month award". dailypost.ng. 13 March 2024.
- ^ Taiwo, Adesanya (7 April 2024). "Suleiman, Ilechukwu win NPFL Player, Coach of the Month award for March". dailypost.ng.