Chairman of the NPFL Board, Gbenga Elegbeleye, stated this in Abuja on Friday during

a review of the past season’s statistics and projection for the new season.

“The league is determined to establish a traditional period for the competition to enable clubs, players, match officials and scouts plan their own calendar.

“This is evident in the fact that the board kept to its calendar for the last season which began on August 31, 2024 and ended  on May 25, 2025.

“This is the first time in many years, perhaps since the start of the new era —- Nigeria Premier Football League in 2005 (20 years) —- that a date for kick-off and ending will be faithfully implemented.

“That is a commitment we made and a promise delivered”, the NPFL Chairman stated.

Elegbeleye stated further that the past season was remarkable in the emergence of Remo Stars Football Club of Ikenne as champions with three matches to spare after defeating Niger Tornadoes on Match Day 35 on April 27.

He gave a breakdown of the numbers in the past season’s statistics, stating that of the total of 380 games, there were 286 wins and 94 were drawn with a total of 784 goals scored.

“Further breakdown shows that there were 244 home wins and 42 away wins with 552 goals scored at home and 232 scored by visiting teams out of which 60 were from the penalty kick spot.

“Sixteen penalty kicks were missed, bringing the total penalty kicks awarded to 76. In all 13 of the goals were own goals and four hat-tricks were recorded.”

On disciplinary measures, the league chairman said that a total of 1,380 yellow cards were issued while 56 red cards were recorded during the season.

Also in the concluded season, Nasarawa United’s Yusuf Anas topped the goal scorers chart with 18 goals, followed by Rabiu Ali of Kano Pillars with 13 goals and Anthony Ijoma of Abia Warriors was third with 12 goals.

Elegbeleye also disclosed that the NPFL recorded the highest-ever number of domestic league matches on television with 188 games aired on StarTimes while Propel Sports Africa streamed over 200 fixtures on the OTT viewing platform globally.

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