Nigeria - List of Champions (original) (raw)
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 al�so 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
(C) Copyright Djidenou Medjigbodo and RSSSF 1997/2024
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.