# 2017 Nigeria Professional Football League

The 2017 Nigeria Professional Football League was the 46th season of the top Nigerian professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1972, and the 27th since the rebranding of the league as the "Professional League". Plateau United won the league on the Saturday, 9 September 2017 with a 2-0 victory over Enugu Rangers.
Enugu Rangers won the previous edition, their seventh league title and first since 1984.
Plateau United's win of this edition is their first ever title, which came in their second season after being promoted to the top flight. It was intended to be rational, meaning in reserve purposes.

## Clubs

A total of 20 teams contested the league, these included 16 teams from the previous season and four teams promoted from the Nigeria National League. The season began on 14 January.

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Plateau United (C) | 38 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 49 | 25 | +24 | 66 | Qualification to the 2018 CAF Champions League |
| 2 | MFM | 38 | 19 | 5 | 14 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 62 | Qualification to the 2018 CAF Champions League |
| 3 | Enyimba | 38 | 18 | 7 | 13 | 43 | 28 | +15 | 61 | Qualification to the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup |
| 4 | Akwa United | 38 | 17 | 9 | 12 | 46 | 30 | +16 | 60 | |
| 5 | Nasarawa United | 38 | 16 | 8 | 14 | 35 | 30 | +5 | 56 | |
| 6 | El Kanemi Warriors | 38 | 18 | 2 | 18 | 39 | 43 | −4 | 56 | |
| 7 | Lobi Stars | 38 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 43 | 39 | +4 | 54 | |
| 8 | Kano Pillars | 38 | 16 | 6 | 16 | 38 | 35 | +3 | 54 | |
| 9 | Ifeanyi Ubah | 38 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 39 | 38 | +1 | 54 | |
| 10 | Sunshine Stars | 38 | 17 | 3 | 18 | 41 | 43 | −2 | 54 | |
| 11 | Niger Tornadoes | 38 | 16 | 6 | 16 | 31 | 35 | −4 | 54 | |
| 12 | Abia Warriors | 38 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 44 | 36 | +8 | 53 | |
| 13 | Wikki Tourist | 38 | 16 | 5 | 17 | 37 | 41 | −4 | 53 | |
| 14 | Enugu Rangers | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 39 | 44 | −5 | 53 | |
| 15 | Rivers United | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 34 | 33 | +1 | 52 | |
| 16 | Katsina United | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 37 | 38 | −1 | 52 | |
| 17 | Shooting Stars | 38 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 50 | Relegation to the Nigeria National League |
| 18 | ABS | 38 | 14 | 7 | 17 | 37 | 50 | −13 | 49 | Relegation to the Nigeria National League |
| 19 | Gombe United | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 32 | 49 | −17 | 43 | Relegation to the Nigeria National League |
| 20 | Remo Stars | 38 | 7 | 8 | 23 | 27 | 49 | −22 | 29 | Relegation to the Nigeria National League |

## Season statistics
### Goals
#### Top scorers

    As of 10 May 2017
| Rank | Player | Team | Goals |
| 1 | Stephen Odey | MFM | 14 |
| 2 | Abdullahi Ibrahim Alhassan | Akwa United | 10 |
| 2 | Samuel Mathias | El Kanemi Warriors | 10 |
| 3 | Sunday Adetunji | Abia Warriors | 8 |
| 3 | Mfon Udoh | Enyimba | 8 |
| 4 | Adamu Hassan | Nasarawa United | 7 |
| 4 | Victor Mboama | Remo Stars | 7 |
| 4 | Anthony Okpotu | Lobi Stars | 7 |
| 5 | Godwin Obaje | Ifeanyi Ubah | 6 |
| 6 | Prince Aggreh | Ifeanyi Ubah | 5 |
| 6 | Kingsley Eduwo | Lobi Stars | 5 |
| 6 | Daniel Etor | Enugu Rangers | 5 |
| 6 | Sunday Faleye | Shooting Stars | 5 |
| 6 | Austin Oladapo | Gombe United | 5 |
| 6 | Sikiru Olatunbosun | MFM | 5 |

#### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
| Stephen Odey | MFM | Lobi Stars | 4-0 | 22 January 2017 |
| Reuben Bala | Plateau United | ABS | 4-1 | 26 March 2017 |
| Mu'azzam | Akwa United | Shooting Stars | 4-2 | 2 April 2017 |
| Anthony Okpotu | Lobi Stars | Sunshine Stars | 3-1 | 19 April 2017 |

## Attendances

Rangers International drew the highest average home attendance in the NPFL.
| # | Football club | Average attendance |
| 1 | Rangers International | 14,651 |
| 2 | Kano Pillars | 12,418 |
| 3 | Gombe United | 4,087 |
| 4 | Wikki Tourists | 3,864 |
| 5 | Plateau United | 3,450 |
| 6 | El-Kanemi Warriors | 2,742 |
| 7 | ABS FC | 2,656 |
| 8 | Sunshine Stars | 1,824 |
| 9 | MFM FC | 1,654 |
| 10 | FC Ifeanyi Ubah | 1,446 |
| 11 | Nasarawa United | 1,364 |
| 12 | Shooting Stars | 1,206 |
| 13 | Enyimba FC | 696 |
| 14 | Remo Stars | 672 |
| 15 | Katsina United | 636 |
| 16 | Abia Warriors | 288 |
| 17 | Lobi Stars | 276 |
| 18 | Akwa United | 250 |
| 19 | Niger Tornadoes | 135 |
| 20 | Rivers United | 104 |