The 2014 Nigeria Professional Football League was the 43rd season of the competition since its inception, and the 24th since the rebranding of the league as the "Professional League". The season was scheduled to kick off on November 22, about one month after the conclusion of the 2013 season. However, on that date the league's start was postponed to mid-February until after the 2014 African Nations Championship and to allow the teams to complete all their FIFA licensing. It was delayed again until March.
Clubs Sixteen teams from the previous season and four teams promoted from the Nigeria National League (Crown F.C., Giwa FC, Taraba F.C. and Abia Warriors F.C.) are participating in this season. With Abia Warriors debuting it means the Abia State derby with Enyimba will feature at the highest level of Nigerian football for the first time.
Team nameHome cityHome venueFirst year of current stint in LeagueAkwa UnitedUyoUyo Township Stadium2011Bayelsa United F.C. YenegoaSapele Stadium/Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium2012DolphinsPort HarcourtLiberation Stadium2009Gombe United GombePantami Stadium1994Heartland OwerriDan Anyiam Stadium1975Kaduna United KadunaKaduna Township Stadium2008Lobi Stars MakurdiEmmanuel Atongo Stadium, Katsina-Ala/Aper Aku Stadium1999Nasarawa United LafiaLafia Township Stadium2012Nembe City F.C.NembeKrisdera Hotel Stadium, Port Harcourt2012Sunshine StarsAkureAkure Township Stadium2007El-Kanemi WarriorsMaiduguriPillars Stadium(Kano)2012Enugu Rangers EnuguNnamdi Azikiwe Stadium1973EnyimbaAbaEnyimba International Stadium1994Kano PillarsKanoSani Abacha Stadium/Pillars Stadium2001SharksPort HarcourtSharks Stadium2008Warri Wolves WarriWarri Township Stadium2008Abia Warriors F.C. UmuahiaUmuahia Township Stadium2013Giwa FCJosRwang Pam Stadium2013Crown F.C. OgbomoshoLekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan2013Taraba F.C.JalingoJalingo City Stadium2013
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News - On February 21, Sunshine Stars F.C. was involved in an accident on the road between Ijebu-Ode and Akure. Five players and the team masseur went to the hospital with serious injuries. However, nobody was killed. - On the eve of the league start, Giwa F.C. and Nembe City (the last two Nigeria National League champions and the league's only two privately funded clubs) were withdrawn from league fixtures by the LMC for failing to provide guarantees of the minimum salary for players, leaving the league at 18 teams. Both teams appealed to be reinstated on March 20. Giwa was admitted back on the 2nd of April and Nembe City was readmitted the next day. - After the Week 1 games, Abia Warriors refused to travel to Maiduguri to play El-Kanemi Warriors, citing fears for safety after recent Boko Haram attacks. The league then refused to sanction games there, and El Kanemi nominally agreed to move games this season to Kano. - The Week 26 fixtures were suspended when the Nigeria Referees Association went on strike. The league resumed 17 September.
Managerial (head coach) changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyIncoming managerDate of appointmentNasarawa UnitedKadiri IkhanaRetired20 Oct. 2013(preseason) Mohammed Baba Ganaru22 Nov. 2013Enugu RangersFelix EmordiResigned21 Oct. 2013John Obuh28 Oct. 2013Akwa UnitedJustin TengerContract expired1 Nov. 2013Emmanuel King10 Dec. 2013Kano PillarsMohammed Baba GanaruResigned to take over Nasarawa United22 Nov. 2013Felix Emordi30 Jan. 2014Bayelsa UnitedLadan BossoResigned to take over Abia Warriors21 February 2014Richard Bubagha28 Feb. 2014Giwa FCAbdul Bidemi BiffoResigned 13 AprilAminu Musa(Interim)/Kadiri Ikhana14 April/25 May Kaduna UnitedSaleh LatoDeceased 20 AprilHassan Abubakar27 April Abubakar appointed as Kaduna United Technical Advisernigeriafootball.com Giwa FCKadiri IkhanaResigned to take Enyimba job 1 JulyDuke Udi1 July EnyimbaZachary BarajeFired1 JulyKadiri Ikhana1 July Gombe United Maurice CooremanResigned- Illness July Augustine Eguavoen9 July
Top scorers 23 goals Mfon Udoh Enyimba FC
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