After the break to the Nigeria Premier League prize money award to Plateau United in the 2016/17 season, the 2020/21 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season became the first time since 2017 that prize money was paid to participating NPFL clubs and eventual league winners.
Plateau United received N50 million following their maiden league triumph under the tutelage of Kennedy Boboye in 2017.
After the hiatus to prize money payment in the NPFL, the 2020/21 season turned a new leaf as Akwa United received N60 million as league winners. Interestingly, it was Kennedy Boboye who won the crown for them to mark the second time the gaffer has coached another league side to the title.
And in the 2021/22 NPFL season, Rivers United won their first league title and pocketed home N50 million as prize money for their successful campaign.
Nigeria Premier League prize money for 2022/23 season
Enyimba received N100 million for winning the 2022/23 NPFL title. The People's Elephants were crowned champions after playing out a 1-1 draw against Rivers United on the final day of the Super Six playoffs held in June, 2023 in Lagos.
It was the highest prize money received by any team in the history of the domestic game in Nigeria. Part of the money was used to recruit players for the club.
Nigeria Premier League prize money for 2023/24 season
The 2023/24 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) started on 30 September 2023. But before its commencement, there was an interesting turn of event which excited followers of the top tier domestic league.
According to a memo from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in September, 2023, the league champions for the 2023/24 season will take home a whopping sum of N150 million, a 50% increment from what the champions of the 2022/23 season received.
The hefty prize money announcement was made as the league geared up for its highly anticipated kick-off for the new season which promised fans and players alike an electrifying campaign ahead. At the time, this development about the prize money for the eventual league winner sent shock waves of excitement throughout the NPFL community.
The significant financial incentive underscored the commitment of the league runners to elevate the standard of the NPFL and attract top talents and sponsors to the top-flight football league.
In the memo, NFF noted that the decision to reward the winners with this substantial amount was in a bid to showcase the true value of the NPFL. “After due deliberation by the chairman and our strategic partners, it was agreed that the prize money, since that is what connotes the true value of the league, be reviewed to N150 million,” the League board said in a statement.
At the time of this report, the news served as a strong motivation for clubs and players participating in the NPFL, as they looked forward to competing at their best for the current campaign. The NFF board also made it clear that each club got a N10 million take-off grant for the 2023/24 NPFL campaign.
This article was most recently revised and updated 10 months ago
