Nigeria Professional Football League
Season2021–22
Promoted
Relegated
CAF Champions League
CAF Confederation Cup
Matches played380
Goals scored779 (2.05 per match)
Top goalscorerChijioke Akuneto (19 goals)
Biggest home winPlateau United 5–0 Dakkada (16 January 2022)
Akwa United 6–1 Nasarawa United (22 April 2022)
Rivers United 5–0 MFM (8 May 2022)
Biggest away winHeartland 0–3 Enugu Rangers (21 January 2022)
Akwa United 0–3 Enugu Rangers (13 March 2022)
Highest scoringEnugu Rangers 5–3 Lobi Stars (19 March 2022)
Longest winning runPlateau United (5 matches)
Longest unbeaten runRivers United (12 matches)
Longest winless runHeartland & MFM (7 matches)
Longest losing runHeartland , MFM & Lobi Stars (5 matches)
All statistics correct as of 17 July 2022.

The 2021–22 Nigeria Professional Football League was the 51st season of Nigeria's top-flight association football league and the 32nd since attaining professionalism. The season started on 17 December 2021 and was concluded on 17 July 2022.[1]

This season saw Shooting Stars returning to the top-flight after a four-year hiatus, likewise Niger Tornadoes who won the National League play-offs. They were also joined by Remo Stars and Gombe United after securing promotion from the second division.[2] Akwa United were the defending champions.

On 25 June 2022, Rivers United won their first league title with 4 matches to spare.[3]

Kano Pillars were relegated for the first time in 20 years[4].This occurred as a result of the team suffering a six point deduction from the league committee and the club's poor form during the season,[5][6] they were joined by MFM, Heartland and Katsina United. Remo Stars secured a continental ticket for the first time in the club's history.[7]

Teams information

Clubs

  • Note: Several clubs played home matches at other stadiums due to their regular stadia not meeting the league requirements or being banished by the LMC.
Team Location Stadium Capacity Head Coach
Abia Warriors Umuahia Umuahia Township Stadium 5,000 Imama Amapakabo
Akwa United F.C. Uyo Godswill Akpabio International Stadium 30,000 Deji Ayeni
Dakkada Danlami Kwasau
Enugu Rangers Enugu Ifeanyi Ubah FC Stadium
Awka City Stadium		 18,000 Abdul Maikaba
Enyimba Aba Enyimba International Stadium 16,000 Finidi George
Gombe United Gombe Pantami Stadium 12,000 Aliyu Zubairu
Heartland F.C. Owerri Dan Anyiam Stadium 10,000 Erasmus Onuh
Kano Pillars Kano Sani Abacha Stadium 16,000 Salisu Yusuf
Katsina United Katsina Muhammad Dikko Stadium 35,000 Azeez Mohammed
Kwara United Ilorin Kwara State Stadium 18,000 Abdullahi Biffo
Lobi Stars Makurdi Aper Aku Stadium 20,000 Mohammed Babaganaru
MFM F.C. Lagos Teslim Balogun Stadium 24,325 Festus Allen
Nasarawa United Lafia Lafia Township Stadium 5,000 Bala Nikyu
Niger Tornadoes Minna Minna Township Stadium 5,000 Abubakar Bala
Plateau United Jos New Jos Stadium 60,000 Fidelis Ilechukwu
Remo Stars Ikenne Dipo Dina Stadium
Remo Stars Stadium		 20,000 Gbenga Ogunbote
Rivers United Port Harcourt Yakubu Gowon Stadium 16,000 Stanley Eguma
Shooting Stars Ibadan Lekan Salami Stadium 10,000 Edith Agoye
Sunshine Stars Akure Dipo Dina Stadium
Akure Stadium		 20,000 Cameroon Emmanuel Deutsch
Wikki Tourists F.C. Bauchi Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium 15,000 Kabiru Dogo

Managerial changes

Not including interim management.

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of departure Incoming manager Date of
appointment
Heartland Nigeria Hassan Abdallah Resignation 2 February Nigeria Erasmus Onuh 5 February[8]
Akwa United Nigeria Kennedy Boboye Resignation 13 February[9] Nigeria Deji Ayeni 23 March
Lobi Stars Nigeria Eddy Dombraye Sacked 14 March Nigeria Mohammed Babaganaru 24 March
Sunshine Stars Nigeria Deji Ayeni Left for Akwa United 23 March Cameroon Emmanuel Deutsch 2 April
MFM Nigeria Gabriel Olalekan Sacked 11 May Nigeria Festus Allen 11 May[10]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Rivers United 38 23 8 7 58 24 +34 77 Qualification for the Champions League
2 Plateau United 38 21 4 13 50 29 +21 67
3 Remo Stars 38 18 8 12 43 26 +17 62 Qualification for the Confederation Cup
4 Kwara United[lower-alpha 1] 38 17 7 14 43 45 −2 58
5 Enugu Rangers 38 15 11 12 41 30 +11 56
6 Nasarawa United 38 15 8 15 42 48 −6 53
7 Enyimba 38 15 7 16 39 36 +3 52
8 Gombe United 38 14 10 14 39 39 0 52
9 Akwa United 38 13 13 12 35 36 −1 52
10 Wikki Tourists 38 15 7 16 34 35 −1 52
11 Sunshine Stars 38 14 9 15 30 30 0 51
12 Niger Tornadoes[lower-alpha 2] 38 15 6 17 32 38 −6 51
13 Abia Warriors 38 13 11 14 50 44 +6 50
14 Dakkada 38 15 4 19 42 49 −7 49
15 Lobi Stars 38 14 7 17 36 48 −12 49
16 Shooting Stars 38 12 12 14 41 45 −4 48
17 Katsina United 38 15 3 20 34 42 −8 48 Relegation to the National League
18 Heartland 38 13 8 17 32 48 −16 47
19 Kano Pillars[lower-alpha 3] 38 15 6 17 32 36 −4 45
20 MFM 38 9 9 20 26 51 −25 36
Source: NPFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
Notes:
  1. ↑ Kwara United qualified for the Confederation Cup as the 2022 Aiteo Cup could not be completed.[11]
  2. ↑ Niger Tornadoes initially had 2 points deducted by the LMC but were restored by the NFF.[12][5]
  3. ↑ Kano Pillars had 3 points deducted by the LMC and a further 3 points by the NFF.[5][6]

Results

Home \ Away ABI AKW DAK ENU ENY GOM HEA KAN KAT KWA LOB MFM NAS NIG PLA REM RIV 3SC SUN WIK
Abia Warriors 0–0 1–1 2–0 2–1 3–2 1–0 3–2 2–2 1–1 3–0 2–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–1 1–0 3–0
Akwa United 2–2 3–2 0–3 1–1 1–0 0–0 3–0 2–0 1–1 1–0 0–0 6–1 1–0 2–1 1–0 1–1 2–1 0–0 2–0
Dakkada 2–1 3–1 0–0 2–0 0–1 2–1 1–0 2–0 2–0 2–1 2–0 2–1 2–1 1–0 1–1 2–3 2–0 3–0 0–1
Enugu Rangers 2–1 2–0 1–0 0–1 1–0 3–1 0–0 1–0 3–0 5–3 2–0 1–0 4–0 0–1 0–0 0–0 2–2 0–0 2–1
Enyimba 2–1 1–0 0–2 2–1 3–0 0–0 4–0 2–1 3–0 2–1 1–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–1 0–1 1–0 2–0 2–0
Gombe United 1–0 1–1 2–2 1–0 0–0 3–2 1–0 1–0 4–2 3–0 3–0 3–1 1–0 1–1 1–0 0–0 0–0 1–0 2–1
Heartland 2–1 1–0 1–0 0–3 1–0 1–1 0–1 1–0 1–0 1–0 0–0 3–3 1–0 1–0 0–0 2–0 3–1 1–0 1–0
Kano Pillars 2–1 0–0 1–0 1–0 2–0 3–1 3–1 1–0 2–1 0–0 1–0 2–0 1–0 0–1 0–0 0–1 2–1 1–0 1–1
Katsina United 2–1 1–0 4–1 1–2 1–0 2–1 1–1 1–0 1–0 0–0 2–1 1–0 2–0 2–0 3–2 0–1 3–1 1–0 1–0
Kwara United 1–1 1–0 3–0 1–1 1–0 2–0 2–1 1–0 2–0 1–0 3–0 3–0 1–0 1–1 2–1 2–1 3–1 1–0 1–0
Lobi Stars 1–2 1–0 1–0 2–0 1–0 2–1 2–1 0–0 2–1 3–1 2–1 2–1 1–1 0–2 1–0 1–1 2–1 0–0 3–2
MFM 2–1 0–0 2–0 0–0 2–1 3–1 1–0 2–1 1–0 1–2 0–0 0–1 1–2 1–0 0–2 1–3 0–1 1–0 0–2
Nasarawa United 2–1 2–0 1–0 1–0 2–1 1–1 2–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 2–1 1–1 1–0 2–1 1–1 2–1 2–0 1–1 1–0
Niger Tornadoes 1–1 0–1 1–0 2–1 2–1 1–0 2–1 2–1 2–1 4–0 0–1 1–1 1–0 1–0 1–0 0–0 2–0 1–0 1–0
Plateau United 1–0 3–0 5–0 4–0 1–0 1–1 3–0 1–0 1–0 1–0 2–1 2–0 3–2 1–0 1–0 1–0 3–1 2–0 3–1
Remo Stars 1–0 0–1 4–1 1–0 1–0 1–0 3–0 1–3 2–0 3–0 3–1 1–0 0–0 3–0 1–0 1–1 1–0 3–0 1–0
Rivers United 2–1 4–1 2–1 1–0 2–0 1–0 3–1 1–0 3–0 3–0 1–0 5–0 2–1 3–0 2–0 1–0 2–0 0–0 3–0
Shooting Stars 2–2 1–1 1–0 1–1 2–0 0–0 4–0 1–0 1–0 2–1 3–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 2–1 1–1 3–2 2–2 0–0
Sunshine Stars 1–0 0–0 2–1 0–0 0–1 2–0 3–1 3–0 2–0 1–0 3–0 2–1 2–1 2–1 1–0 0–1 1–0 0–0 2–1
Wikki Tourists 1–0 2–0 2–0 0–0 0–0 1–0 0–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 1–0 3–0 2–0 1–0 2–1 1–2 1–0 1–1 1–0
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 ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
Abia Warriors1587111781214141413151516151516131315131515141418131413141512151316121613
Akwa United13257469777865646668987756575778888889
Dakkada201114148131617161817181819181917191618151614151615171819202019181719191714
Enugu Rangers57834333346434554333333434343333344555
Enyimba425935744545778789107879897767646465667
Gombe United12151710161518131515141089109101011911981089898989999978
Heartland71610179121719191919191918171815181820202020181917191718171818191818181818
Kano Pillars1917201520111512101111141614141412141213141316191719181917121416161913161919
Katsina United1619151813181418181618171717191719161517181919171514161514151314131414171517
Kwara United254459510885756565454555565656565656444
Lobi Stars913613610118131315121313131314171916171717161816151616181717141612141315
MFM1820161914192020202020202020202020202019191818202020202020191920202020202020
Nasarawa United812117117107111099111011111112141210111213121312131213111111111011116
Niger Tornadoes6991619201316171716161215161618151714161413121312141215161615171517131012
Plateau United171013812645533212222222222222222222222222
Remo Stars31111112221344333545444343434454533333
Rivers United104322221112121111111111111111111111111
Shooting Stars1114181218171915126106101212121311911121211111111111110111213121215151416
Sunshine Stars141819201514811912121314898978676667810898977777911
Wikki Tourists1361261016966981191171078710610109101091011101010101011101210
Leader
Champions League
Confederation Cup
Relegation to Nigeria National League
Source: World Football

Results by matches played

Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
Abia WarriorsLWDDLWLDLWDLDLWLDWDWLDDLLWWWLLWLLWDWDW
Akwa UnitedWDWLLWDLWDDDWWLWDLLDDWDWWLDDWLDLWLWLDL
DakkadaLWLDWLLDDLWLLLWLWLWLWLWLLWLLLWWDWLLWWW
Enugu RangersWLDWDWWDDLDWWLDDWWWLWLDLWDWLWLWLLDLDLW
EnyimbaWWLLWDLWWLWDLDLWLDDWLWLWLWDWLWWLWLDLLL
Gombe UnitedDDLWLDLWLWDWWDLWLDLWDWDLWLWLWLWLDDWLWL
HeartlandDLWLWLLLLLDDWDWLWLDLLDLWDWLWLWLWLWDWLW
Kano PillarsLDLWLWLWWDLLLWDLWLWLDDLWLWLWWWLDLWWLLW
Katsina UnitedLLWLWLDLLWLWLDLWLWDLLWLWWLWWLLWLWLLLWL
Kwara UnitedWLWDDLWLWDWLWLWDWWLWLDDDLWLWLWLWLWLWWL
Lobi StarsDDWLWLDWLDLWLWLLLLLWLDLWLWWLDWDWLWWLWL
MFMLLWLWLLLLLDLWDWDLDDWLWLLDLLWDWDDLWLLLL
Nasarawa UnitedDDDWLWLWLWDDLWLDLDLWWLDLWLWLWLWLWLWLWW
Niger TornadoesWLDLDLWLLDWDWLLDLWLWLWDWLWLWLLWLWLWWWL
Plateau UnitedLWLWLWWLWWWWWDWWWDWLWDWLWLLWLWLWLDLWLW
Remo StarsWWDDWWWDDDWLLLWLWLWLWDDWLWLWLLDWLWLWWW
Rivers UnitedDWWDDWWWDWLWDWWWWDWDWWWLWLWLWWWLWDLWLW
Shooting StarsDDLWLDLWWWLWLDLDLWWLDLWLWDWLDLDLWDDDWL
Sunshine StarsLDDWDWDWLLDLWWLWLWLWLWDWLDLDDWLWWLWLLL
Wikki TouristsWLWLLWWWLDLWDLWLWLDLWLDWDLWLLWLWDDLWLW
Source:
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Statistics

Scoring

Top scorers

As of 17 July 2022
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Nigeria Chijioke Akuneto Rivers United 19
1 Nigeria Yusuf Abdulazeez Gombe United 16
Nigeria Victor Mbaoma Enyimba
4 Nigeria Odoh Valentine Abia Warriors 15
5 Nigeria Ishaq Rafiu Rivers United 14
6 Nigeria Andy Okpe Remo Stars 13
7 Nigeria Godwin Obaje Abia Warriors 12
8 Nigeria Zulkifilu Rabiu Plateau United 11
Nigeria Tochukwu Udeh Nasarawa United
10 Nigeria Samad Kadiri Kwara United 10
Nigeria Ossy Martins Enugu Rangers
Nigeria Leonard Ugochukwu Sunshine Stars

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Score Date
Nigeria Chijioke Akuneto Rivers United Akwa United 4–1 (H) 20 March 2022[13]
Nigeria Victor Mbaoma Enyimba Kwara United 3–0 (H) 12 June 2022[14]
Nigeria Andy Okpe Remo Stars Niger Tornadoes 3–0 (H) 17 July 2022[7]
Notes


(H) – Home team

References

  1. ↑ "NPFL 2021–22 season starts December 17". The Nation. 25 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Oludare, Shina (12 September 2021). "3SC, Remo Stars, Niger Tornadoes and Gombe United promoted to NPFL". Goal. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  3. ↑ "Rivers United NPFL title win thrills Wike". The Punch. 27 June 2022.
  4. ↑ "Kano Pillars four time NPFL kings relegated after losing appeal against Dakkada". Goal.com. 16 July 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 "DECISION OF THE NFF DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON JULY 8, 2022". Sportsration. 9 July 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Kano Pillars hit with hefty fine, points deduction". brila.net. 17 April 2022.
  7. 1 2 "NPFL round up:Remo Stars punch continental ticket as Andy Okpe scores hattrick". Premium Times. 17 July 2022.
  8. ↑ "Onuh replaces Abdallah as Heartland coach". Dailypost.ng. 6 February 2022.
  9. ↑ "NPFL:Kennedy Boboye quits Akwa United". Premiumtimesng.com. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  10. ↑ "MFM set to announce Festus Allen as technical adviser". Exclusive News. 11 May 2022.
  11. ↑ "Kwara United pick Confederation Cup slot ahead of Aiteo Cup finals". Premium Times Nigeria. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  12. ↑ "Niger Tornadoes fined 2 million with two points deduction for breach of NPFL framework and rules". The News Chronicle. 9 June 2022.
  13. ↑ "NPFL Review:Akuneto scores hattrick as Rivers United finish midseason champions". 20 March 2022.
  14. ↑ "Mbaoma breaks Enyimba 9-year record with hattrick". blueprint.ng. 12 June 2022.
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