Nigeria - List of Foundation Dates


The first recorded game of organized football in Calabar and in fact Nigeria as a whole took place on June 15, 1904 at Hope Waddell Training Institution. The game was played between a team made up of Nigerian students and expatriate staff members of the school against a team from the HMS Thistle, a British ship docked at the port. The Hope Waddell team won 3-2. ([Boe 03].)
1929        PWD (Onikan, Lagos)                   [dissolved; PWD = Public Works Department]
1932        Oduko FC (Ife-Ife)                    [dissolved] 
1937        Hercules FC (Ibadan)                  [dissolved]
            Nigeria Railway FC (Lagos)
1938        Zik's Athletic Club (Lagos)           [dissolved] 
1946        Agric FC (Ibadan)                     [dissolved]  
1950        Oluyole Warriors (Ibadan)
1951        NEPA FC (Lagos)                       [NEPA = National Electric Power Authority; founded
                                                   as Electric Corporation of Nigeria; dissolved 1997]

1956        Redoubtables FC (Onitsha)             [called Onitsha United 1991-2007, Anambra United 2007-2012]
1958        Stationery Stores Wonder FC (Lagos)
1960        Pepsi Cola FC (Ibadan)                [merged 1963 with WNDC Ibadan
                                                   to ICC Shooting Stars]  
1963        ICC Shooting Stars (Ibadan)           [merger of West Nigeria Development
                                                   Company Ibadan and Pepsi Cola FC Ibadan]
1964        CRSN FC (?)
1970 Jan 29 Enugu Rangers International FC        [founded as Rangers Sports Club]
            Mighty Jets FC (Jos)
            Sharks FC (Port Harcourt)             [merged 2016 with Dolphin FC to Rivers United FC]
            Niger Tornadoes FC (Minna)
1971        Brighton FC (Lagos)                   [dissolved]  
1972        Julius Berger FC (Lagos)              [aka Bridge FC]
            Bendel Insurance FC (Benin City)      [founded as Vipers of Benin]
            NITEL Vasco da Gama FC (Enugu)        [founded as P and T Vasco da Gama; dissolved 1996]
            African Continental Bank FC (Lagos)   [dissolved 1994]
1973        Lagos Dynamos
            Bendel United FC (Benin City)         [founded as Flash Flamingoes]
            New Nigeria Bank FC (Benin City)      [dissolved 1989]
1974        Kwara United FC (Ilorin)              [founded as Kwara Water Corporation FC]
1975        Plateau United FC (Jos)               [founded as JIB Strikers FC]
1976 Aug  4 Heartland FC (Owerri)                 [founded as Spartans FC] 
     Nov  ? Enyimba International FC (Aba) 
            Alyufsalam Rocks (Ilorin)             [dissolved] 
            Calabar Rovers FC                       
1981        Lobi Stars FC (Makurdi)               [founded as Lobi Bank FC]
1982        BCC Lions (Gboko)                     [BCC = Benue Clement Club]
            Leventis United FC (Ibadan)           [merger of Carpet Royal (Ibadan), Iddo Tigers (Lagos)
                                                   and Sanyo FC (Ibadan); dissolved 1987]  
1985        NITEL United FC (Lagos)               [dissolved]
1986        El Kanemi Warriors (Maiduguri)
1988        Dolphin FC (Port Harcourt)            [founded as Eagle Cement; merged 2016 with
                                                   Sharks FC to Rivers United]
1989 Nov 30 Gombe United FC       
            Jos University Teaching Hospital FC   [JUTH]
1989        Sirdona FC (Abule-Egba)
1990        Kano Pillars FC                       [merger of WREKA FC, Kano Golden Stars
                                                   and Bank of the North]  
            Udoji United FC (Awka)                [played 1990-92 in Enugu; dissolved 2000]
1991        Yobe Desert Stars FC (Damaturu)
            Keffi United FC 
            Jasper United (Onitsha)               [founded as Premier Breweries FC; dissolved 2003]
1993        Bora United SC (Ijero) 
1994        Katsina United FC                     [2009-15 called Spotlight FC]
            Crown FC (Ogbomosho)
1995        Sunshine Stars FC (Akure) 
1996        Prime FC (Osogbo)
            Akwa United FC (Uyo)
            Plateau Pyramids SC (Jos)
            Buffaloes FC (Kano) 
1997        Ifeanyi Ubah FC (Nnewi)               [founded as Gabros International FC]   
            Jos University Teaching Hospital FC
            Ibom Stars FC (Akwa) 
            Kwara United FC
1998        Gateway FC (Abeokuta)                 [founded as Gateway United FC]  
            Warri Wolves FC                       [founded as Nigerian Ports Authority] 
            Babanawa FC (Anyigba) 
            AS Racines (Lagos)
            Abuja FC                              [founded as Buffalo FC (Abuja)]
1999        Anambra United FC (Onitsha)           [founded as Ebonyi Angels] 
2000        Wikki Tourists FC (Bauchi)
            Bayelsa United FC (Yenagoa) 
2001        Kaduna United FC
            Delta Force FC (Asaba)                [founded as Delta United FC] 
            Zamfara United FC (Gusau)             [dissolved 2013]  
            Makwada FC (Fufore)
            Bussdor United FC (Owerri)            [founded as Bussdor United FC (Port Harcourt)]
2002 Nov 12 Ocean Boys FC (Brass)                 [dissolved 2012]
            Nasarawa United FC (Lafia)
2003        Abia Warriors FC (Umuahia)
2004        Remo Stars FC (Ijebu-Ode)             [2004-09 played in Lagos]     
            Abubakar Bukola Saraki FC (Ilorin)    [founded as Bukola Babes FC]            
            Gidi FC (Lagos)
2005        Anambra Pillars FC (Onitsha)          [founded as Power United]  
            Nasarawa United FC (Lafia)
2006        Rising Stars FC (Orido City)          [originally farm team of Sunshine Stars FC]
            ESAN FC (Uromi)  
2007 Sep  ? COD United FC (Lagos)                 [COD = City Of David]
            Mountain Top FC (Lagos)               [founded as MFM FC (MFM = Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries)]
            Taraba United FC (Jalingo)            [founded as Taraba FC]  
            Westside FC (Ilesa)
2008        My People FC (Lagos)
            FC Yarmalight (Gombe)
2010        TEAP FC (Abuja)                       [TEAP = The Everlasting Arms Parish]
2011        DSS FC (Kaduna)
            Nembe City FC
2012 Dec 21 Ikot Ekpene Allstars FC
            Giwa FC (Jos)
            Ogun All Stars FC (Abeokuta)
            Lagos Tigers FC
2012 Dec 21 Ikot Ekpene Allstars FC
2014 Dec  1 Ikorodu United FC (Lagos) 
2016 Feb  ? Rivers United FC (Port Harcourt)      [merger of Sharks FC and Dolphin FC] 
            George Tournah FC (Kolo)
2017        Oasis FC (Lagos)


Women Club Foundation Dates

198?        Ufuoma Babes (Warri)
1986        Rivers Angels FC (Port Harcourt)      [founded as Larry Angels FC]
1990        Pelican Stars FC (Calabar)
1993 Feb 12 Confluence Queens FC (Lokoja)
1995        Osun Babes FC (Osogbo)                [founded as Comfort Queens FC; disbanded 2000 as
                                                   Obi Babes, reestablished 2004 as Oyinlola Babes,
                                                   modern name since 2011]
1999 Apr 19 FC Robo International  (Lagos)  
2000        Bayelsa Queens FC (Yenagoa)
            Delta Queens FC (Asaba)
2005        Sunshine Queens FK (Akure)
2007        Beautiful Tours Angels FC (Abuja)
2013        COD United Amazons FC (Lagos)


About this document

Sources: [Akp 85], [Bak 97], [Boe 03]

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

Author: Hans Schöggl
Last updated: 9 Feb 2023

(C) Copyright Hans Schöggl and RSSSF 2005/23
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.