2021–22 Nigeria Professional Football League

Nigeria Professional Football League season

Football league season

Niger Tornadoes
Shooting Stars
Remo Stars
Gombe United

Relegated

Remo Stars
Kwara United

Matches played380Goals 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)

← 2020–21

2022–23 →

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

Uyo

Uyo teams:
Akwa
Dakkada

class=notpageimage|

Locations of the 2021–22 Nigeria Professional Football League teams

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	Uyo	Godswill Akpabio International Stadium	30,000	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	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	Hassan Abdallah	Resignation	2 February	Erasmus Onuh	5 February^[8]
Akwa United	Kennedy Boboye	Resignation	13 February^[9]	Deji Ayeni	23 March
Lobi Stars	Eddy Dombraye	Sacked	14 March	Mohammed Babaganaru	24 March
Sunshine Stars	Deji Ayeni	Left for Akwa United	23 March	Emmanuel Deutsch	2 April
MFM	Gabriel Olalekan	Sacked	11 May	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	Qualification for the Champions League
3	Remo Stars	38	18	8	12	43	26	+17	62	Qualification for the Confederation Cup
4	Kwara United^[a]	38	17	7	14	43	45	−2	58	Qualification for the Confederation Cup
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^[b]	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^[c]	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:

^ Kwara United qualified for the Confederation Cup as the 2022 Aiteo Cup could not be completed.^[11]
^ Niger Tornadoes initially had 2 points deducted by the LMC but were restored by the NFF.^[12]^[5]
^ 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

Source: World Football

Results by matches played

Team ╲ Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38
Team ╲ Round
Abia Warriors	L	W	D	D	L	W	L	D	L	W	D	L	D	L	W	L	D	W	D	W	L	D	D	L	L	W	W	W	L	L	W	L	L	W	D	W	D	W
Akwa United	W	D	W	L	L	W	D	L	W	D	D	D	W	W	L	W	D	L	L	D	D	W	D	W	W	L	D	D	W	L	D	L	W	L	W	L	D	L
Dakkada	L	W	L	D	W	L	L	D	D	L	W	L	L	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	L	W	L	L	L	W	W	D	W	L	L	W	W	W
Enugu Rangers	W	L	D	W	D	W	W	D	D	L	D	W	W	L	D	D	W	W	W	L	W	L	D	L	W	D	W	L	W	L	W	L	L	D	L	D	L	W
Enyimba	W	W	L	L	W	D	L	W	W	L	W	D	L	D	L	W	L	D	D	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	D	W	L	W	W	L	W	L	D	L	L	L
Gombe United	D	D	L	W	L	D	L	W	L	W	D	W	W	D	L	W	L	D	L	W	D	W	D	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	D	D	W	L	W	L
Heartland	D	L	W	L	W	L	L	L	L	L	D	D	W	D	W	L	W	L	D	L	L	D	L	W	D	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	D	W	L	W
Kano Pillars	L	D	L	W	L	W	L	W	W	D	L	L	L	W	D	L	W	L	W	L	D	D	L	W	L	W	L	W	W	W	L	D	L	W	W	L	L	W
Katsina United	L	L	W	L	W	L	D	L	L	W	L	W	L	D	L	W	L	W	D	L	L	W	L	W	W	L	W	W	L	L	W	L	W	L	L	L	W	L
Kwara United	W	L	W	D	D	L	W	L	W	D	W	L	W	L	W	D	W	W	L	W	L	D	D	D	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	W	L
Lobi Stars	D	D	W	L	W	L	D	W	L	D	L	W	L	W	L	L	L	L	L	W	L	D	L	W	L	W	W	L	D	W	D	W	L	W	W	L	W	L
MFM	L	L	W	L	W	L	L	L	L	L	D	L	W	D	W	D	L	D	D	W	L	W	L	L	D	L	L	W	D	W	D	D	L	W	L	L	L	L
Nasarawa United	D	D	D	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	D	D	L	W	L	D	L	D	L	W	W	L	D	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	W
Niger Tornadoes	W	L	D	L	D	L	W	L	L	D	W	D	W	L	L	D	L	W	L	W	L	W	D	W	L	W	L	W	L	L	W	L	W	L	W	W	W	L
Plateau United	L	W	L	W	L	W	W	L	W	W	W	W	W	D	W	W	W	D	W	L	W	D	W	L	W	L	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	D	L	W	L	W
Remo Stars	W	W	D	D	W	W	W	D	D	D	W	L	L	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	D	D	W	L	W	L	W	L	L	D	W	L	W	L	W	W	W
Rivers United	D	W	W	D	D	W	W	W	D	W	L	W	D	W	W	W	W	D	W	D	W	W	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	W	W	L	W	D	L	W	L	W
Shooting Stars	D	D	L	W	L	D	L	W	W	W	L	W	L	D	L	D	L	W	W	L	D	L	W	L	W	D	W	L	D	L	D	L	W	D	D	D	W	L
Sunshine Stars	L	D	D	W	D	W	D	W	L	L	D	L	W	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	L	W	D	W	L	D	L	D	D	W	L	W	W	L	W	L	L	L
Wikki Tourists	W	L	W	L	L	W	W	W	L	D	L	W	D	L	W	L	W	L	D	L	W	L	D	W	D	L	W	L	L	W	L	W	D	D	L	W	L	W

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Statistics

Scoring

Top scorers

As of 17 July 2022

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

Hat-tricks


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

Notes

(H) – Home team

References

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

Nigeria Professional Football League seasons

v t e 2021–22 in African football (CAF)
« 2020–21 2022–23 »
Domestic leagues	Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Comoros Congo Democratic Republic of Congo Djibouti Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Eswatini Ethiopia Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Ivory Coast Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique '21 '22 Namibia Niger Nigeria Réunion '21 '22 Rwanda São Tomé and Príncipe '21 '22 Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa South Sudan Sudan Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zanzibar Zimbabwe
Domestic cups	Algeria Angola Botswana Burundi Cameroon '21 '22 Democratic Republic of Congo Egypt Ethiopia Ghana Kenya '21 '22 Morocco Nigeria '21 '22 Senegal '21 '22 South Africa South Sudan Sudan '21 '22 Tanzania Tunisia Uganda
Super cups	Algeria Angola Egypt Tunisia
CAF club competitions	CAF Champions League qualifying rounds group stage knockout stage final CAF Confederation Cup qualifying rounds group stage knockout stage final CAF Super Cup
International competitions	2021 Africa Cup of Nations 2021 FIFA Arab Cup