The Nigeria National League (NNL) (formerly the National Division 1) is the second-highest tier in the Nigerian football league system, after the Nigeria Premier Football League, and is currently contested by 36 clubs.
Each season, four teams are promoted to the Nigeria Premier Football League, via NNL Super 4/NNL Super 8, however from the 2025–26 season, the top teams from each group gets promoted directly with the "Super 4" used to determine the overall league winner. The twelve lowest-finishing teams in the Nigerian National League are relegated to Nigeria Nationwide League.
History From 1997-2011, the league has been split into 1A for Northern teams and 1B for southern teams. The top two from each division are promoted to the Nigerian Premier League the next season. The exceptions were the 2005–06 and 2006-07 seasons where there were four divisions of eight teams each, with each division winner winning promotion. Up to four teams in each division are relegated each season to the Amateur First Division. The league was renamed 19 June 2008. In 2012 the league expanded from 32 to 36 teams with 2 more teams promoted. The league used the 2006 format, with four divisions of nine teams each, with division winners receiving automatic promotion. In 2012-13, it went back to two divisions of sixteen. For the 2015 season, it used four divisions of eight teams.
2024–25 season Conference A Team Location Stadium Capacity1472 FCLagosMobolaji Johnson Arena 10,000Abia CometsUmuahia Umuahia Township Stadium 5,000Beyond LimitsIkenneRemo Stars Stadium5,000Crown FCOgbomoshoSoun StadiumDakkadaUyoUyo Township StadiumEdelAwkaAwka City StadiumIgbajoIle-Ogbo, OsunLanre Leke StadiumIjeleEnuguNnamdi Azikiwe StadiumInter LagosLagosMobolaji Johnson ArenaSmart CityWarri WolvesWarriWarri Township Stadium
Conference B Team Location Stadium CapacityAbakalikiAbakalikiPa Ngele Oruta Township StadiumABSIlorinKwara State Stadium 18,000First Bank FCLagosMobolaji Johnson ArenaGateway UnitedAbeokutaMKO Abiola StadiumGodswill Akpabio FCUyoUyo Township StadiumKun Khalifat OwerriDan Anyiam StadiumMadibaLagos Mobolaji Johnson Arena Osun UnitedOsogboOsogbo Township StadiumRoversCalabarU.J. Esuene StadiumSolution FCAwkaAwka City StadiumSporting LagosLagosMobolaji Johnson Arena
Conference C Team Location Stadium CapacityBarauDambattaDambatta StadiumGombe UnitedGombe Pantami Stadium 12,000Jigawa Golden Stars DutseKazaure StadiumMighty JetsJosNew Jos StadiumSokoto UnitedSokotoGiginya Memorial StadiumWikki TouristsBauchiAbubakar Tafawa Balewa StadiumZamfara UnitedGusauFIFA Goal Project Pitch, Birnin Kebbi
Conference D Team Location Stadium CapacityAdamawa UnitedYolaRibadu Square Stadium 5,000BasiraLafiaLafia City StadiumDoma UnitedGombePantami Stadium12,000Kada WarriorsKadunaAhmadu Bello StadiumKebbi UnitedBirnin KebbiFIFA Goal Project PitchSporting SupremeBwariBwari StadiumYobe Desert StarsDamaturu27 August Stadium
2019-20 season The season kicked off in November 2019. The 42 teams were consolidated back into four divisions.
The league went for the December break, and didn't return. The league was later cancelled due to the outbreak of Covid-19 outbreak in Nigeria. No team was promoted to the Premier division after football activities were stopped due to the rampaging effect of Covid-19.
Group A1
ABS FC Aklosendi Int'l DMD Borno Federal Road Safety FC Green Beret FC Kada City F.C. Kebbi United Kogi United NAF FC Malumfashi FC Oyah Sports FC Zamfara
Group A2 EFCC F.C. El-Kanemi Warriors Gombe United Kwara United Mighty Jets Rarara FC Sokoto United Niger Tornadoes Yobe Desert Stars
Group B1 Abia Comets Apex Krane FC, Delta State Ibom Youth Dynamite FC Ekiti United Gateway United F.C. Giant Brillars Go Round F.C. Nilàyo FC Osun United F.C. Shooting Stars S.C.
Group B2 Bayelsa United Bendel Insurance Calabar Rovers Crown F.C. J'Atete FC Joy Cometh FC Lamray United Remo Stars F.C. Stationery Stores F.C. Vandrezzer FC
2020/21 Season On 6 November 2020, the league's organizing committee agreed to continue the four division North and South format for the 2021 season. The start date was to be three weeks after the top division NPFL resumes. The league is expected to start on 30 January 2021 after the successful draws at the Congress held on Friday 15 January at Ebonyi State
On Saturday 30 January 2021, an Emergency congress took place in Ebonyi State where the kick off date was changed to 13 February 2021. 21 clubs voted in favor of 13 February while 4 clubs voted in favor of 6 February
Group A1 ABS FC, Ilorin EFCC FC, Abuja Hyperbuzz, Maiduguri Kogi United Mailantarki Carr Mighty Jets
Group A2 DMD Borno Federal Road Safety FC G&K Shekarau FC, Kano Kebbi United Kogi United Malumfashi United Niger Tornadoes, Minna Yobe Desert Stars F.C. Zamfara United
Group B1 Calabar Rovers Delta Force F.C. Dynamite Force FC, Benin Ekiti United Giant Brillars, Enugu Go Round F.C., Omoku Nilàyo FC, Abeokuta Nnewi United Osun United F.C. 3SC, Ibadan Stationery Stores F.C., Lagos Vandrezzer FC, Lagos
Group B2 Abia Comets F.C. Apex Krane FC, Delta State Bayelsa United Bendel Insurance Crown F.C. Gateway United F.C. Godosky FC, Anambra Holy Arrows FC, Oleh Ibom Youths FC, Uyo J'Atete FC, Ughelli Joy Cometh FC, Lagos FC One Rocket, Ikot Ekpene Remo Stars F.C.
Nigeria National League Stadiums 2020-21
TeamLocationStadiumCapacityMighty Jets F.C.JosNew Jos Stadium60,000FC TarabaJalingoJalingo City Stadium30,000Calabar Rovers F.C.CalabarU. J. Esuene Stadium25,000Kogi United F.C.LokojaConfluence Stadium25,000Vandrezzer FCLagosTeslim Balogun Stadium24,325Giant BrillarsEnuguNnamdi Azikiwe Stadium22,000Apex Krane FCAsabaStephen Keshi Stadium22,000ABS FCIlorinKwara State Stadium18,000Gombe United F.C.GombePantami Stadium12,000Bendel Insurance F.C.Benin CitySamuel Ogbemudia Stadium12,000El-Kanemi Warriors F.C.MaiduguriEl-Kanemi Stadium10,000Osun United F.C.OsogboOshogbo Stadium10,000Crown F.C.IbadanAdamasingba Stadium10,000Shooting Stars S.C.IbadanAdamasingba Stadium10,000Stationery Stores F.C.LagosOnikan Stadium10,000Aklosendi InternationalLafiaLafia Township Stadium10,000Green Berets of ZariaZariaZaria Township Stadium10,000Nnewi UnitedObaRojenny International Stadium10,000Gateway United F.C.AbeokutaMKO Abiola Stadium10,000DMD BornoMauduguriEl-Kanemi Stadium10,000Nilàyo FCAbeokutaMKO Abiola Stadium10,000Delta Force F.C.Ogwashi UkwuJay Jay Okocha Stadium8,000Abia Comets F.C.UmuahiaUmuahia Township Stadium5,000Bayelsa United F.C.YenagoaYenagoa Township Stadium5,000Niger Tornadoes F.C.MinnaMinna Township Stadium5,000Sokoto United F.C.SokotoGiginya Memorial Stadium5,000EFCC FCAbujaOld Parade Ground5,000NAF Rockets F.C.AbujaOld Parade Ground5,000Federal Road Safety FCAbujaOld Parade Ground5,000Oyah Sports InternationalMinnaMinna Township Stadium5,000Holy Arrows FCUghelliUghelli Township Stadium5,000J'Atete FCUghelliUghelli Township Stadium5,000Remo Stars F.C.IkenneRemo Stars Stadium5,000Zamfara United F.C.GusauSardauna Memorial Stadium5,000Ibom Youths FCIkot EkpeneIkot Ekpene Stadium5,000FC One RocketIkot EkpeneIkot Ekpene Stadium5,000Ekiti UnitedAdo-EkitiOluyemi Kayode Stadium4,000Joy Cometh FCLagosAgege Stadium4,000Godosky FCNnewiGabros Stadium3,000Yobe Desert Stars F.C.DamaturuPotiskum Stadium2,000Rarara FCKatsinaKahuta Stadium2,000Dynamite Force FCBenin CityWestern Boys Stadium2,000Kebbi UnitedBirnin KebbiHaliru Abdu Stadium2,000Go Round F.C.OmokuKrisdera Hotel Stadium1,000G&K Shekarau FCKanoSabon Gari Stadium1,000Malumfashi UnitedMalumfashiTownship Stadium1,000
Past winners The league was a single table until 1998. Between 1998-2011 winners of the North and South divisions played a one-game playoff to determine the overall Division champion. 2011-2017 the champion was determined by a Super Four mini-league between the four promoted teams. In 2018 it was a Super Eight to pick the four teams.
SeasonWinner1991El-Kanemi Warriors1992Concord FC, Abeokuta1993Enyimba1994Eagle Cement1995Kano Pillars1996Niger Tornadoes1997Kwara United1998Kwara Stars1999Udoji United2000El-Kanemi Warriors2001Sunshine Stars F.C.2002Dolphins F.C. (Nigeria)2003Mighty Jets F.C.2004Nasarawa United2006Zamfara United2007Sunshine Stars F.C.2008Warri Wolves2008/09Dolphins F.C. (Nigeria)
SeasonWinner2009/10Crown F.C.2010/11Wikki Tourists2012Nembe City F.C.2013Giwa F.C.2014Gabros International F.C.2015Niger Tornadoes F.C.2016Katsina United F.C.2017Go Round F.C.2018Kada City F.C.2019Dakkada F.C.2020abandoned2021Niger Tornadoes2022Bendel Insurance F.C.2023Heartland F.C.2024Beyond Limits2025Warri Wolves2026Sporting Lagos
See also List of football clubs in Nigeria
References
External links 2006-07 season on rsssf 2009-10 final 1-A table (JUTH FC site) Two clubs opt out of NNL 2012 league lineup Nigerian National League, standings, results & fixtures