The 2022–23 Nigeria Professional Football League was the 52nd season of Nigeria's top-flight association football league and the 33rd since attaining professionalism. The regular season started on 8 January 2023 and concluded with the playoffs on 11 June 2023.

Nigeria Professional Football League
Season2022–23
Dates8 January – 11 June
ChampionsEnyimba (9th title)
Promoted
Relegated
CAF Champions League
CAF Confederation CupRivers United
Bendel Insurance
Matches played195
Goals scored411 (2.11 per match)
Top goalscorerChukwuemeka Obioma
(16 goals)
Best goalkeeperBankole Kayode
(11 clean sheets)
Biggest home winPlateau United 5–0 El-Kanemi Warriors
(15 February 2023)
Enyimba 5–0 Gombe United
(7 May 2023)
Biggest away winNasarawa United 0–3 Akwa United
(22 January 2023)
Highest scoringPlateau United 3–3 Shooting Stars
(15 January 2023)
Dakkada 2–4 Abia Warriors
(4 February 2023)
Bayelsa United 5–1 Abia Warriors
(2 April 2023)
Longest winning run(5 matches)
Bendel Insurance
Longest unbeaten run(21 matches)
Bendel Insurance
Longest winless run(7 matches)
El-Kanemi Warriors
Longest losing run(5 matches)
Dakkada
All statistics correct as of 11 June 2023.

Bendel Insurance, Doma United, Bayelsa United and El-Kanemi Warriors were the four promoted clubs from the 2021–22 Nigeria National League, replacing Kano Pillars, Katsina United, MFM and Heartland.

Following Enyimba draw against Rivers United on 11 June at the playoffs, Enyimba secured a record ninth NPFL title at the Onikan Stadium.[1]

Format

The clubs and league organizers decided to start the 2022–23 season on 8 January 2023 instead of 28 December 2022 as previously planned. The league will switch to an abridged format that will see the clubs split into two groups of ten each. The top three clubs from each group will qualify for a championship round, which will be known as the Super Six, to determine the league winners.[2]

Teams

Changes from previous season

The following teams changed divisions since the end of the 2021–22 season

Promoted from the 2021–22 Nigeria National League

Relegated from the 2021–22 Nigeria Professional Football League

Regular season

Group A

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Bendel Insurance 18 8 10 0 22 11 +11 34 Qualification to Championship round
2 Remo Stars 18 9 6 3 21 14 +7 33
3 Enyimba 18 9 5 4 25 12 +13 32
4 Akwa United 18 9 5 4 24 14 +10 32
5 Plateau United 18 7 5 6 29 23 +6 26
6 Shooting Stars 18 5 8 5 20 20 0 23
7 Gombe United 18 4 7 7 10 20 −10 19
8 Kwara United 18 4 5 9 11 22 −11 17
9 Nasarawa United 18 3 5 10 15 23 −8 14 Relegation to the National League
10 El-Kanemi Warriors 18 2 4 12 10 28 −18 10
Updated to match(es) played on 21 May 2023. Source: NPFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored

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 ╲ Round123456789101112131415161718
Akwa United993444443232232444
Bendel Insurance112111111111111111
El-Kanemi Warriors10467998910101010101010101010
Enyimba335333222445423223
Gombe United687867776767667777
Kwara United768988988688888888
Nasarawa United8101010101010109999999999
Plateau United474655534354554555
Remo Stars221222355523345332
Shooting Stars559576667876776666
Leader
Qualification to Championship round
Relegation to Nigeria National League
Updated to match(es) played on 21 May 2023. Source: World Football

Results

Home \ Away AKW BEN EKW ENY GOM KWA NAS PLA REM 3SC
Akwa United 0–2 2–0 1–0 1–0 3–1 2–2 1–0 3–1 2–0
Bendel Insurance 1–1 2–1 1–0 0–0 1–1 1–0 2–1 3–0 1–1
El-Kanemi Warriors 1–1 0–1 0–1 0–0 1–2 2–1 2–2 1–2 0–0
Enyimba 0–0 1–1 2–0 5–0 3–0 1–1 2–1 1–1 2–0
Gombe United 0–1 0–0 1–0 1–2 1–0 1–1 3–2 0–1 2–1
Kwara United 2–1 0–1 2–0 1–2 0–0 1–0 1–1 0–0 0–1
Nasarawa United 0–3 1–1 1–2 1–2 1–1 2–0 1–2 2–0 1–0
Plateau United 1–0 1–1 5–0 2–1 2–0 1–0 1–0 1–2 3–3
Remo Stars 1–0 1–1 2–0 1–0 0–0 4–0 1–0 1–1 2–0
Shooting Stars 2–2 2–2 1–0 0–0 1–0 0–0 2–0 3–2 1–1
Updated to match(es) played on 21 May 2023. Source: Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Group B

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Rivers United 18 9 7 2 24 15 +9 34 Qualification to Championship round
2 Lobi Stars 18 9 3 6 20 17 +3 30
3 Sunshine Stars 18 7 6 5 20 14 +6 27
4 Abia Warriors 18 8 3 7 22 24 −2 27
5 Doma United 18 7 5 6 15 15 0 26
6 Niger Tornadoes 18 6 5 7 16 16 0 23
7 Bayelsa United[lower-alpha 1] 18 6 6 6 24 24 0 21
8 Enugu Rangers 18 4 9 5 16 16 0 21
9 Wikki Tourists 18 5 4 9 18 23 −5 19 Relegation to the National League
10 Dakkada 18 3 4 11 15 29 −14 13
Updated to match(es) played on 21 May 2023. Source: NPFL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
Notes:
  1. ↑ Bayelsa United had three points and three goals deducted by the IMC.[3]

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 ╲ Round123456789101112131415161718
Abia Warriors112433224435646254
Bayelsa United4878888109988767676
Dakkada535799109101010101010991010
Doma United676664556563432335
Enugu Rangers9109977777777888888
Lobi Stars854221111211111112
Niger Tornadoes223346665644354567
Rivers United341112333122223421
Sunshine Stars768555442356575743
Wikki Tourists1091010101098889999101099
Leader
Qualification to Championship round
Relegation to Nigeria National League
Updated to match(es) played on 21 May 2023. Source: World Football

Results

Home \ Away ABI BAY DAK DOM ENU LOB NIG RIV SUN WIK
Abia Warriors 3–1 3–0 2–0 2–1 0–1 1–0 0–0 2–1 1–1
Bayelsa United 5–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–0 2–0 2–2 2–1 2–1
Dakkada 2–4 1–1 1–0 1–1 1–1 1–2 1–2 2–1 2–1
Doma United 1–0 2–1 1–0 0–0 2–0 2–1 2–1 1–1 2–0
Enugu Rangers 0–2 2–1 1–0 1–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 3–0
Lobi Stars 2–0 3–0 2–1 2–0 1–0 1–0 3–2 1–0 0–2
Niger Tornadoes 3–0 1–1 1–0 1–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–2 2–0
Rivers United 1–1 2–1 1–0 2–0 1–0 2–1 2–1 1–0 2–0
Sunshine Stars 1–0 1–0 3–0 1–1 1–1 1–0 2–0 1–1 1–0
Wikki Tourists 4–0 1–2 3–1 0–0 1–0 2–1 0–2 1–1 1–1
Updated to match(es) played on 21 May 2023. Source: Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Championship round

The Championship round, also known as the super six playoffs, was held between 3–11 June at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts ENY REM RIV SUN BEN LOB
1 Enyimba 5 2 3 0 8 4 +4 9 Champions League — — 1–1 3–0 — 1–0
2 Remo Stars 5 2 3 0 8 5 +3 9 2–2 — — — 1–0 2–0
3 Rivers United 5 2 3 0 6 4 +2 9 CAF CC — 2–2 — 1–0 2–1 —
4 Sunshine Stars 5 1 2 2 5 7 −2 5 — 1–1 — — 1–1 3–1
5 Bendel Insurance 5 0 3 2 3 5 −2 3 1–1 — — — — 0–0
6 Lobi Stars 5 0 2 3 1 6 −5 2 — — 0–0 — — —
Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Disciplinary points; 6) Play-off (Only to decide champions, runners-up, third placed and relegation spots); 7) Drawing of lots

    Top scorers

    As of 11 June 2023
    Rank Player Club Goals
    1 Nigeria Chukwuemeka Obioma Enyimba 16
    2 Nigeria Robert Mizo Bayelsa United 8
    Nigeria Imade Osehenkhoe Bendel Insurance
    4 Nigeria Nyima Nwagua Rivers United 7
    5 Nigeria Umar Abba Lobi Stars 6
    Nigeria Bello Lukman Abia Warriors
    Nigeria David Okoromi Niger Tornadoes
    Nigeria Cyril Olisema Akwa United
    Nigeria Ismael Seriki Bendel Insurance
    Nigeria Musa Usman Doma United

    References

    1. ↑ "Enyimba win ninth NPFL title in Lagos". The Punch. 12 June 2023.
    2. ↑ "IMC conducts draws, fixes 2022/2023 NPFL season kickoff amid clubs' opposition". Peoples Gazette. 28 December 2022.
    3. ↑ "Bayelsa United suffer three point deduction,fined N1.7M". The Punch. 3 February 2023.
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