Four teams from Nigeria National League have gained promotion to the elite Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) for the 2022/2023 season.

The NNL is the second highest pyramid of club football in Nigeria. It is arguably the most intense division often comprising over 40 clubs competing for the four slots available for promotion into the elite NPFL.

Forty-six clubs participated in the 2021/2022 season of the Nigeria National League. They were divided into two conferences, the Northern Conference consisting of Group A1 and Group A2 and the Southern Conference of Group B1 and B2, with the top teams from each group securing promotion.

At the conclusion of the final round of matches in the 2021/2022 NNL season last week, the four teams that gained promotions to the Nigeria Professional Football League(NPFL) were confirmed.

A cursory review of the teams has been highlighted below:

Bayelsa United

The Bayelsa State-owned club were last to secure a promotion ticket to the top flight, having to wait till the final day of the season to know their fate.

The much-anticipated promotion was confirmed last week after 2021 FA Cup winners defeated Abakaliki-based Cynosure FC 2-0 on the final match day of the NNL season to clinch the top spot in Group B2. 

The one-time NPFL champions and 2009 CAF Confederation Cup semi-finalist made a glorious return to the NPFL after seven long years in the lower division.

An elated Governor Duoye Diri congratulated the team on the promotion and for making the people of Bayelsa proud, reiterating that his promises to the team are “still intact.”

Doma United 

A new name football fans in the country will be hearing in the top football division is Gombe-based Doma United. The club dominated the Group A2 of the NNL to surprisingly gain promotion to the NPFL for the first time in the club’s history.

The Savannah Tigers’ season dominance was also crowned with a state triumph after the club defeated NPFL giants Gombe United in the final of the 2022 Gombe State FA Cup to win the state’s Aiteo FA Cup trophy.

Bendel Insurance

Edo-based Bendel Insurance return to the NPFL after going down in 2019, having waited a decade earlier to participate in Nigeria’s first division club football.

The Insurance boys confirmed their promotion on the penultimate day of the 2021/ 2022 of the NNL season after defeating Ikorodu United 2-0 to seal a top spot finish in the Group B1 last month.

The two-time Nigerian league champions are now back in the NPFL once again after the state government restructured the club for greater success.

The Benin Arsenal also clinched the 2022 Edo State FA Cup trophy to add to the growing collection of silverware in the trophy cabinet.

El-Kanemi Warriors FC

El-Kanemi Warriors FC of Maiduguri impressively found their way back to the NPFL after two seasons in the second division.

The two-times Nigerian FA Cup winners secured a promotion ticket to the NPFL thanks to Mighty Jets of Jos. The Jos-based team defeated second-placed City FC of Abuja, who were trailing El-Kanemi just by a lone point, on the final day match to help the Borno-based clinch the Group A1 ticket.

It has been an incredible journey for El-Kanemi Warriors and their fans having suffered multiple relegations for two decades and also surviving Boko Haram insurgency that forced them away from their traditional base to Kano for home matches.

The 2022/2023 season of the Nigeria Professional League season has been scheduled to kick off on September 23, 2022. 

The League Management Company(LMC) has already commenced stadium inspection exercises across the country ahead of the new season.