Top FIVE defining moments for Nigeria Premier Football League in 2023

The Nigeria Premier Football League, experienced series of highs and lows moments in the outgoing year 2023.

Many followers will want to described it a year of mixed fortunes for the apex league in the country, while some others might tilt to either sides of good or bad of the divid.

Nigeriafootball.ng, however, reflects on those top five defining moments of the passing year 2023.

For lots of soccer pundits and followers of the NPFL, one may not see the People’s Elephant coming close to winning the 2022/2023 season which was played in an abridged format as a result of delays.

The Aba landlords woke up to the league having played on the continent and also experienced change of hands in the technical department with George Finidi coming in to replace Fatai Osho.

They want did not performed up to expectations in the regular season but eventually managed to secure one of the three slots for the Super Six playoffs in Group A.

At the playoffs in Lagos, they showed a great deal of character and why they are the most successful club in Nigerian league.

Enyimba took other five contenders by surprise going through the playoffs undefeated to lift their ninth record league diadem.

While many followers of NPFL may not be taken aback by Enyimba coming from behind to win the 2022/2023 season through the playoffs, the same cant be said for Insurance FC who managed an entire season without a defeat.

The Benin Arsenals who were making a return to the top-flight after seven years finished top of Group A that had notable names like Enyimba, Akwa United, Kwara United and Plateau United by not losing a single match in 18 ties.

A feat that will go down in the history of NPFL, even though some may want to argue it happened in an abridged season, but record books will be incomplete with the mention of their incredible runs and exceptional form.

After series of disappointments, failed promises by previous managers of the NPFL since 2016, Nigerians were finally able to enjoy watching the league right in the comfort of their homes through live broadcast.

The present board were able to matched words with action by securing a five-year sponsorship deal with Startimes which will allow Nigeria soccer faithful to follow their favorite clubs closely until 2028.

This development has in no doubt increased the followership of the NPFL and has also lifted the brand to become more admirable by ordinary Nigerians and corporate world.

It is believed that it’s sustainance will also improve other areas of the league like officiating, quality of play and players’ visibilities.

For a small and relatively unknown club like Doma United, one will expect them to be among the whipping boys in the NPFL, but the opposite was the case of the Savannah Tigers.

Gained promotion to the country’s elite division in 2022, and came close to securing one of the playoffs tickets having played in Group B on their first ever topflight campaign.

However, they took the current league season by surprise beating the so called ‘big names’. They went on another historic nine games unbeaten and did that without conceding a single goal.

That brought their young goalkeeper, Kingdom Ossai into the spotlight – getting him to knock the door for a place in the Super Eagles’ roster for the upcoming African Cup of Nations, AFCON taking place in Ivory Coast.

What Doma United did in 2023 has become reference points for soccer pundits to use them as a pointer fot any interested individual who is also willing to delve into football business, that will lean budget you can run a modest football club and also make meaningful impact.

It was a not usual day at the Pantami Stadium in the Gombe State capital when Gombe United hosted Kano Pillars in the Matchday 11 of the 2023/2024 NPFL season on December 3, 2023.

The encounter marked a resounding win for the visiting Kano Pillars with 5-2 triumph over their neighbours.

But the rare away win and the wide goal margin was not the pick of the day but a certain youngster in Yusuf Abdullahi who scored all the five goals for Kano Pillars.

The teenage winger was a late inclusion to the match but took it personal by seazing the moments to make history for himself, Kano Pillars and the league.

Abdullahi’s goals in that encounter make him the first player to score five goals away from home in the history of NPFL.

That feat has helped the Young enterprising winger to etched his name among those make 2023 a memorable year in the NPFL and it is expected he will not be a flash in the pan.

There were many other special moments in the NPFL in the year 2023 and we will like you to share them with us in the comment section as we look forward to a more prosperous and defining moments of NPFL in 2024.