Nigeria 1970-1979

1969/70

According to an article in the Tanzania Standard of 22 Mar 1970, the NFA intended
to organise an inter-club contest in March 1970 to determine the Nigerian entrants
for the African Champions Cup, after having ruled that the 1969 winners of the
Challenge Cup, Ibadan Lions, could not represent Nigeria, being a town selection
rather than a club side.  It is unclear whether any tournament was organised, and
if it was, its winners were never considered official champions, but eventually
Stationery Stores entered the 1970 African Champions Cup.

1970/71

Amachree Gold Cup 1971

NB: this was an ad hoc knock-out tournament played to ensure a Nigerian club
    could enter the African Champions Cup;
    previously the winners of the Challenge Cup entered, but as the participants
    of that competition not only included clubs but also city selections, that
    was no longer acceptable to CAF;
    held March 1-15, at the City Stadium, Onikan, Lagos

Participants included:
  ACB FC of Lagos
  Mighty Jets of Jos 
  Nigerian Army XI of Lagos
  Port Authority of Lagos
  P & T Vasco Da Gama FC [East Central State]
  Rangers of Enugu [East Central State]
  Vipers of Benin
  WNDC of Ibadan

Known results:

Round 1
[Mar 1]
ACB FC                   4-3 P & T Vasco Da Gama FC
[Mar 3]
Rangers                  3-2 WNDC

Quarterfinal
ACB FC                   3-4 Rangers                            

Semifinal
Nigerian Army XI         1-2 Rangers                 

Final [Mar 15]
Port Authority           0-3 Rangers             

1972

The national league was formed in 1972; it had 8 founder members.

Final Table:

 1.Mighty Jets (Jos)            14   7  5  2  30-16  19  Champions
 2.Rangers (Enugu)              14   8  3  3  27-15  19
 3.Bendel Insurance (Benin)     14   8  2  4  33-14  18  [*]
 4.Leventis (Lagos)             14   7  4  3  27-20  18
 5.Pillars (Kano)               14   5  6  3  20-14  16
-------------------------------------------------------
 6.Wunti (Bauchi)               14   3  4  7  15-35  10  Relegated
 7.Octopus (Port Harcourt)      14   3  3  8  25-30   9  Relegated
 8.New Nigeria (Kaduna)         14   0  3 11  10-43   3  Relegated

[*] started season as Vipers (Benin)

NB: above final standings thanks to Chuka Onwumechili (conwumechili at hotmail dot com).

1973

Asaba Textile Mills and Darma United (Kano) were apparently relegated;
Stationery Stores, who finished 3rd from bottom, should have been
relegated as well but were spared 'on compassionate grounds, probably 
as a tribute to the late founder of the club who had brought the players 
up single-handed'. 

Apparently Vasco da Gama (Enugu) and NEPA (Lagos) were promoted, while
Mighty Jets (Jos) were also relegated?!

Champions: Bendel Insurance

1974

The league had 6 members:

Enugu Rangers
NEPA (Lagos) 
Stationery Stores (Lagos) 
Bendel Insurance (Benin) 
IICC (Ibadan) 
Vasco da Gama (Enugu)

No teams were relegated.

Champions: Enugu Rangers

1975

The league had 10 members after four new clubs were added.

Champions: Enugu Rangers

1976

Champions: IICC Shooting Stars

1977

[Dec 8]
Racca Rovers             2-1 IICC Shooting Stars      

Final Round [Dec 9]
IICC Shooting Stars      0-2 Spartans (Owerri)
Stationery Stores        1-1 Enugu Rangers

NB: both Enugu Rangers and Stationery Stores finished equal on points (8)
    and with an equal goal difference (+4) and number of goals scored; thus
    the champions were decided by drawing of lots; Enugu Rangers chairman
    Jim Nwobodo eventually took the lucky million naira ballot that gave
    his club the league title and entry to the 1978 African Champions' Cup.

1978

The league had 12 members:

Enugu Rangers
Housing Corporation (Akure)
Mighty Jets (Jos)
Racca Rovers (Kano)
P and T Vasco da Gama (Enugu)
Nigerian Standard (Jos)
Port Harcourt Sharks
Water Corporation (Ibadan)
IICC (Ibadan)
African Continental Bank (Lagos)
Spartans (Owerri)
Bendel Insurance (Benin)

Champions: Racca Rovers

1979

A national second division was introduced.

Division One

Enugu Rangers
Housing Corporation (Akure)
Mighty Jets (Jos)
Racca Rovers (Kano)
P and T Vasco da Gama (Enugu)
Nigerian Standard (Jos)
Port Harcourt Sharks
Water Corporation (Ibadan)
IICC (Ibadan)
African Continental Bank (Lagos)
Spartans (Owerri)
Bendel Insurance (Benin)

Champions: Bendel Insurance

Division Two

Calabar Rovers
Works Golden Star (Kano)
Ewekoro Works (Abeokuta)
Tornadoes (Minna)
Defence Industries Corporation Bees (Kaduna)
P and T Satellite (Ilorin)
Textiles (Asaba)
Club 50 (Sokoto)
Customs (Calabar)
1931-1945
1980 (cup)
1983
list of champions
list of cup winners
About this document

Many thanks to Chuka Onwumechili, Dinant Abbink and Neil Morrison
Sources: [Akp 85], [Bak 97], [Boe 03], [Eke 22], http://forum.cybereagles.com/ (on 1971), Daily Times (Lagos) 10 Dec 1977
Prepared and maintained by Hans Schöggl for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Author: Hans Schöggl
Last updated: 9 Feb 2023