Nigeria - List of Champions

The Beverley Cup was the first ever football competition in Nigeria, contested in Calabar since 1906 between military and school sides.
The first regularly organised competition in Lagos was that for the Lagos War Memorial Cup, donated by rederick "Baron" Mulford in 1918 at the occasion of a series of three matches between King's College and Lagos Merchants' AC. After his death in 1949, this cup, by then the equivalent of the FA Cup for Lagos football, was renamed Frederick "Baron" Mulford Cup.
Outside Calabar and Lagos, football was first played in Zaria, Northern Nigeria, in the first decade of the 20th century. In 1918 a football club was founded in Warri, in 1924 football was played in Ijebu-Ode, and known in Maiduguri and Yola by 1927, Bauchi by 1928, Bida, Ilorin, Sokoto, Birnin-Kebbi and Toro by 1929, Gombe, Jos, Nasarawa and Katsina-Ala by 1930, Biu, Kaduna, Gumel and Yelwa by 1931, Okene, Ogori, Lokoja, Kabba, Dekina and Kano by 1932, and Abuja by 1933.
Leagues existed in 1933 in Awka, Onitsha Province and in Aba, Owerri Province (including local school teams from the Seventh Day Adventist School, Aba Government School, Azumini Government School, All Saints' School Umuocham, Christ the King's School Aba and St Michael's School Aba); a "real" league in Aba was formed in 1948 by teams from local trading firms (UAC, PZ, J. Allen & Co., CFAO, GBO, and John Holt) and governmental institutions (PWD, Medical Department, Nigeria Police, Nigerian Railway, and P&T).
The Kaduna Amateur FA organised a seven-team competition for the Walwyn Cup in 1934, won by Northern Nigeria Secretariat's Treasury and Audit; this competition was held in a league format anmd alöso known as the Kaduna Amateur Football League; its 1938 entrants included: Catholic School, Dennis Memorial Grammar School (Onitsha) Old Boys, Police, Church Missionary Society School, and PWD.
In 1937, Port Harcourt had also a football competition, the Dr. Don Football Challenge Cup, won by Tyrants' FC that year.

The National League was introduced in 1972, renamed Professional League in 1990 and Premier League in 1993.

Lagos League
founded 1931 (according to another source, Diamond FC won the first edition 1923,
but that must refer to their win of the Lagos City Cup);
additional information on 1931-1945;
in 1938 Mechanical Workers dropped out of the league;
Railway won 9 Lagos League championships between 1943 and 1956,
including those of 1943, 1944, 1945 and 1947, thereby becoming
the most successful club in Lagos

additional information on 1970-1979
Amachree Gold Cup
1971    Rangers International (Enugu)          
National League/Nigeria Football League
1972    Mighty Jets (Jos)
1973    Bendel Insurance (Benin City)
1974    Rangers International (Enugu)
1975    Rangers International (Enugu)
1976    IICC Shooting Stars (Ibadan)
1977    Rangers International (Enugu) [after drawing of lots]
1978    Racca Rovers (Kano)
1979    Bendel Insurance (Benin City)
1980    IICC Shooting Stars (Ibadan)
1981    Rangers International (Enugu)
1982    Rangers International (Enugu)
1983    IICC Shooting Stars (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    3SC Shooting Stars (Ibadan)
1996    Udoji United FC (Awka)
1997    Eagle Cement (Port Harcourt)
1998    3SC Shooting Stars (Ibadan)
1999    Lobi Stars FC (Makurdi) 
2000    Julius Berger (Lagos)
2001    Enyimba (Aba)
2002    Enyimba (Aba)
2003    Enyimba (Aba)
2004    Dolphin (Port Harcourt)  
2005    Enyimba (Aba)
2006    Ocean Boys FC (Brass)
2007    Enyimba (Aba)
2008    Kano Pillars
2009    Bayelsa United FC (Yenagoa)
2010    Enyimba (Aba)
2011    Dolphin (Port Harcourt)  
2012    Kano Pillars
2013    Kano Pillars 
2014    Kano Pillars 
2015    Enyimba (Aba)
2016    Rangers International (Enugu)
2017    Plateau United FC (Jos)  
2018      abandoned
2019    Enyimba (Aba)
2019/20   abandoned
2020/21 Akwa United (Uyo)
2021/22 Rivers United (Port Harcourt) 
2023    Enyimba (Aba)
2023/24 Rangers International (Enugu)
2024/25 

Number of Titles (52)

 9  Enyimba (Aba)
    Rangers International (Enugu) [includes both 1971 and 1977]

 5  Iwuanyanwu Nationale (Owerri) [now called Heartland FC]
    Shooting Stars (Ibadan)

 4  Kano Pillars

 3  Dolphin (Port Harcourt) [includes Eagle Cement (Port Harcourt)]

 2  Bendel Insurance (Benin City)
    Julius Berger (Lagos) 

 1  Akwa United (Uyo)
    Bayelsa United FC (Yenagoa)
    BCC Lions (Gboko) 
    Leventis United (Ibadan) 
    Lobi Stars FC (Makurdi) 
    Mighty Jets (Jos) 
    New Nigeria Bank (Benin City)
    Ocean Boys FC (Brass)
    Plateau United FC (Jos)  
    Racca Rovers (Kano) 
    Rivers United (Port Harcourt) [merger of Dolphin and Sharks]
    Stationery Stores (Lagos)
    Udoji United FC (Awka)

About this document

Thanks to Hans Schöggl for additional information

Prepared and maintained by Djidenou Medjigbodo for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Author: Djidenou Medjigbodo
Last updated: 13 Oct 2024