The Nigerian Premier Football League is one of the most up-and-coming leagues in the world. This year, it saw more excitement and record-breaking achievements than ever before. We discuss them in the article below.
Nigerian Premier League Football is one of the most vibrant leagues in the world. The pinnacle of African football, it has begun to create some of the most creative and innovative players on the continent. The 2024/2025 season is just drawing to a close, and it has been a feast of football. But just what were the standout moments?
Top Scorer
One person could be described as having the perfect season, and they didn’t even win the league. This would be Anas Yusuf. He is the captain and winger for the team Nasarawa United. With 16 goals, he is the league’s top goalscorer, and he still has a few games left with which he may add to this tally.
His last was blasted in against Heartland FC. At the Pantami Stadium, Gombe, on Sunday, April 27, he managed to get one in the 44th minute, leading to a 2:1 win. With an assist from Ugochukwu Leonard, the pair steered the team four points clear of the relegation zone. He scored a second later in the game, though this was not given due to it being offside. This followed a string of victories over Akwa United, Plateau United, and Rangers International.
It is quite probable he will get the Golden Boot at the end of the season, after managing to play a major part in preventing his team from going down. Hot on his goalscoring heels are Shola Adelani of Ikorodu City and Sunday Megwo from the Abia Warriors. Both players have 11 goals so far. Also from Ikorodu City, Ayomide Cole has 10 goals.
Despite all these being a long way off from the 16th of Yusuf, the race is not finished. The Golden Boot is not only determined by goals, but it may go to a member of the league’s winning team. It is still possible to make a wager on the Golden Boot winner. Bettors can even use a promo code for Stake Nigeria and do so using a bonus, so they don’t have to use their own bankroll. This will provide you with 3x your first deposit, up to 4.5m NGN.
Biggest Home Win
The biggest recorded home win of the season was from Ikorodu City, who managed a 6–0 thrashing of Katsina United. The game was played at the now iconic Omobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos. This followed a season in which the team had beaten a number of high-profile squads with hefty scorelines. It included a 3 – 0 victory against Bayelsa United and a 4–1 win over Kano Pillars.
With two of the highest goal scorers in the league in the team, they have been an offensive force. Very few teams have been able to handle them defensively or on the counterattack. Not only is it a massive home win, but also the biggest since they joined the top flight of Nigerian football.
Early in the game, it looked as if Katsina were firmly in control, as a stalwart midfield made of Usman Barau and Nafi’u Ibrahim Kangiwa commanded the game. However, this saw goals fly in from Emmanuel Solomon and Shola Adelani. It was clear from this point that Katsina was outclassed, and it was expected that they would switch to a more defensive position after the break. However, they failed to adapt and the second half saw a further four goals as the opposition rumbled.
Longest Unbeaten Run
The longest unbeaten run came from the El-Kanemi Warriors, with an impressive 10 matches undefeated. Starting in August in a match against Enugu Rangers, they managed to go on a run of ten games undefeated. This culminated in six draws and four wins and ended with a defeat to Shooting Stars on November 10th, in which they lost 3-0. Much of this has been attributed to the team’s defensive record, shown in the high number of draws they had. Four of these were also clean sheets.
The loss to Shooting Stars saw Samuel Ayanrinde and Abubakar Aliyu bag two first-half goals. In the second, Adams Mustapha closed the game with a further one. El-Kanemi has looked under pressure from the start and did not display the confidence fitting of a team on a 10-game unbeaten run.
NPFL Title Winners
In a historic achievement, Remo Stars clinched their first-ever NPFL title on April 27, 2025. They did so by defeating Niger Tornadoes after a mid-season flurry of wins boosted confidence and made them see that the title was within their grasp. It is made even more historic, as it marks them as the first Southwest club to win the league since 1991.
In the previous two seasons, the team had always finished second. They managed to seal the deal in a 1-0, closely contested win. This did manage to push them to 68 points from 35 games. Daniel Ogunmodede, head coach, said the result was a win but that the pressure and consequences of winning had created tension. This was evident in the early chances in the match that were squandered. He also highlighted how the Tornadoes gave them a good fight.
Crucially, the win put them 10 points clear of Rivers United, who are in second place. This was good news, as the last three matches were against tough opposition in the form of El Kanemi Warriors, Ikorodu City, and Bayelsa United. The league will officially finish on May 25th.
It also makes them one of the few privately owned clubs to have won the league. While 11 have won to date, none have done so since 2006 when Ocean Boys clinched the title. Managing to come top also gains them a place in next year’s CAF Champions League.
All of this shows a lot of promise for the next season. With established stars and others ready to make their mark, Nigerian football has never been as exciting. Tune in on the television or visit your local club, and enjoy the excitement of real football matches.
