2022–23 Nigeria Professional Football League
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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.
| Season | 2022–23 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 8 January – 11 June |
| Champions | Enyimba (9th title) |
| Promoted | |
| Relegated |
|
| CAF Champions League | |
| CAF Confederation Cup | Rivers United Bendel Insurance |
| Matches played | 195 |
| Goals scored | 411 (2.11 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Chukwuemeka Obioma (16 goals) |
| Best goalkeeper | Bankole Kayode (11 clean sheets) |
| Biggest home win | Plateau United 5–0 El-Kanemi Warriors (15 February 2023) Enyimba 5–0 Gombe United (7 May 2023) |
| Biggest away win | Nasarawa United 0–3 Akwa United (22 January 2023) |
| Highest scoring | Plateau 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 |
← 2021–22 2023–24 → | |
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]
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]
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
| 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
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 | |
| Qualification to Championship round | |
| Relegation to Nigeria National League |
Updated to match(es) played on 21 May 2023. Source: World Football
Updated to match(es) played on 21 May 2023. Source: Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
| 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[a] | 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:
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 | |
| Qualification to Championship round | |
| Relegation to Nigeria National League |
Updated to match(es) played on 21 May 2023. Source: World Football
Updated to match(es) played on 21 May 2023. Source: Soccerway
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
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
- As of 11 June 2023
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chukwuemeka Obioma | Enyimba | 16 |
| 2 | Robert Mizo | Bayelsa United | 8 |
| Imade Osehenkhoe | Bendel Insurance | ||
| 4 | Nyima Nwagua | Rivers United | 7 |
| 5 | Umar Abba | Lobi Stars | 6 |
| Bello Lukman | Abia Warriors | ||
| David Okoromi | Niger Tornadoes | ||
| Cyril Olisema | Akwa United | ||
| Ismael Seriki | Bendel Insurance | ||
| Musa Usman | Doma United |
- ^ "Enyimba win ninth NPFL title in Lagos". The Punch. 12 June 2023.
- ^ "IMC conducts draws, fixes 2022/2023 NPFL season kickoff amid clubs' opposition". Peoples Gazette. 28 December 2022.
- ^ "Bayelsa United suffer three point deduction,fined N1.7M". The Punch. 3 February 2023.