Nigerian Premier League

The Nigerian Premier League is the highest level of domestic Nigerian football. It is fed into by the two First Division groups: the Nigerian Division 1-A and Nigerian Division 1-B. It is organised by the Nigeria Football Association. The NFL Chairman is Oyuiki Obaseki. Kano Pillars are the current champions, the first northern team to win in nine years.

History

The league was founded in 1972 with six teams. The league was rechristened the "Professional League" in 1990 with a goal to modernize the game and make clubs self-sufficient. Decrees 10 and 11 which codified the introduction of professional football in Nigeria stipulated that professional clubs should be run as limited liability companies each governed by a regularly-constituted board of directors and required to hold annual general meetings, present independently audited accounts, cultivate youth/feeder teams and own their own stadia within five years of registration with the Pro League Department. To assist Pro League clubs in the timely achievement of these stated goals, all 56 professional clubsides that constituted the inaugural Pro League were granted a five-year tax moratorium on all income starting from 1990. The Premier League was upgraded from the First Division of the Nigerian League in 2004. From 1999-2007, there was an end of season Championship mini-league called the "Super Four". The top four teams would play a round robin at a neutral site to determine the league champion. After the 2006 competition, the league changed its calendar to more closely match the common European regular season structure, i.e. starting around August and ending around May. As of the 2007/08 season the league is known as the Globacom Premier League, due to sponsorship from the Globacom telecomunications company. [http://sportyafrica.blogspot.com/2008/01/nigerian-jigawa-golden-stars-football.html]

Clubs for 2008/2009

*Enugu Rangers
*Heartland F.C. (Owerri)
*Kano Pillars F.C.
*Wikki Tourists (Bauchi)
*Niger Tornadoes (Minna)
*Ocean Boys FC (Brass)
*Akwa United (Uyo)
*Bayelsa United FC (Yenegoa)
*Enyimba (Aba)
*Gombe United F.C.
*Lobi Stars (Makurdi)
*Nasarawa United (Lafia)
*Zamfara United F.C. (Gusau)
*Sharks F.C. (Port Harcourt)
*Sunshine Stars(Akure)
*JUTH FC(Jos)

The following teams have been promoted for the 2008-09 season:
* Kaduna United F.C.
* Abuja FC
* Warri Wolves F.C.
* Gateway F.C.(Abeokuta)

The following teams were relegated to the National League for 2008-09:
* Bendel Insurance (first relegation from top league in team history)
* Prime F.C.
* Jigawa Golden Stars F.C.
* Kwara United F.C.

Winners

*1972 : Mighty Jets (Jos)
*1973 : Bendel Insurance (Benin City)
*1974 : Rangers International (Enugu)
*1975 : Rangers International (Enugu)
*1976 : Shooting Stars FC (Ibadan)
*1977 : Rangers International (Enugu)/Stationery Stores (Lagos) (tie)
*1978 : Racca Rovers (Kano)
*1979 : Bendel Insurance (Benin City)
*1980 : Shooting Stars FC (Ibadan)
*1981 : Rangers International (Enugu)
*1982 : Rangers International (Enugu)
*1983 : Shooting Stars FC (Ibadan)
*1984 : Rangers International (Enugu)
*1985 : New Nigeria Bank (Benin City)
*1986 : Leventis United (Ibadan)
*1987 : Iwuanyanwu Nationale (Owerri)
*1988 : Iwuanyanwu Nationale (Owerri)
*1989 : Iwuanyanwu Nationale (Owerri)
*1990 : Iwuanyanwu Nationale (Owerri)
*1991 : Julius Berger (Lagos)
*1992 : Stationery Stores (Lagos)
*1993 : Iwuanyanwu Nationale (Owerri)
*1994 : BCC Lions (Gboko)
*1995 : Shooting Stars FC (Ibadan)
*1996 : Udoji United (Awka)
*1997 : Eagle Cement (Port Harcourt)
*1998 : Shooting Stars FC (Ibadan)
*1999 : Lobi Stars (Makurdi)
*2000 : Julius Berger (Lagos)
*2001 : Enyimba FC (Aba)
*2002 : Enyimba FC (Aba)
*2003 : Enyimba FC (Aba)
*2004 : Dolphins F.C. (Port Harcourt)
*2005 : Enyimba FC (Aba)
*2006 : Ocean Boys FC (Brass)
*2007 : Enyimba FC (Aba)
*2008 : Kano Pillars F.C. (Kano)

External links

* [http://nigeriasports.com Nigeria Sports]
* [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesn/nigchamp.html RSSSF competition history]
* [http://football.com.ng Nigerian Football Online]