Nigeria 1972-1979

1972

In 1972 the national League was formed; it had 6 (according to other
sources 5) founder members:

Bendel Insurance (Benin)
Mighty Jets (Jos)
Vasco da Gama (Enugu)
Octopus (Port Harcourt)
Tracas Warriors (Akwa) [or ACB Bank (Lagos)?]
WNPC (Ibadan) [later renamed IICC (Shooting Stars)]

NB: apparently Octopus, Tracas Warriors (or ACB Bank) and Vasco da Gama
    were relegated while Asaba Textile Mills, Darma United (Kano) and
    Stationery Stores (Lagos) were promoted.

Champions: Mighty Jets (Jos)

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 brougt the players 
up single-handed'. 

Apparently Enugu Rangers, 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

No official champions.  First place decided by the coss of a toin which
favoured Stationery Stores, but Enugu Rangers entered 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)

1923-1945

1980 (cup)

1983

list of champions

list of cup winners

About this document

With thanks to Dinant Abbink

Sources: [Akp 85], [Bak 97]

Prepared and maintained by Hans Schöggl for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Author: Hans Schöggl
Last updated: 26 Jun 2008