| Competition: | Nigeria Women Premier League |
| Season: | 2017 |
| Promoted: | Sure Babes Jokodolu Babes Taraba Queens[1] |
| Relegated: | Saadatu Amazons Heatland Queens |
| League Topscorer: | Rasheedat Ajibade, Reuben Charity and Vivian Uwandi (8 goals) |
| Biggest Home Win: | FC Robo 5-0 Heartland Queens (Wk 14) |
| Biggest Away Win: | Saadatu Amazon 0-4 Delta Queens (Wk 11) |
| Highest Scoring: | Delta Queens 5-1 Osun Babes (Wk 14) |
| Prevseason: | 2016 |
| Nextseason: | 2018 |
The 2017 Nigeria Women Premier League began on March 25, 2017.[2] The date was fixed during the congress for women football league system in Nigeria on February 22, 2017, in Abuja, which had the Minister for Sports, Solomon Dalung in attendance.[3] Martin White Doves, Tokas Queens, Capital City Doves and Taraba Queens were relegated from the previous season. Heartland Queens of Owerri and Sadaatu Kolo Amazons of Niger State were promoted to the elite division. Rofiat Sule, the top scorer of the last two seasons and Evelyn Nwabuoku, captain of the national team amongst others were signed by Rivers Angels F.C.[4] In March 2017, previously relegated Capital City Doves were re-added to the league, increasing the number of teams to seventeen.[5] On 24 March, COD United Amazons F.C. and Capital City Doves were confirmed to be excluded from the league after failing to meet the registration deadline. This reduced the number of teams to fifteen.[6] [7]
The league board adopted an abridged format of eight teams in two groups. The top two teams in each group will play in a super 4 tournament to determine the overall winner of the league.[8] In August 2017, Bayelsa Queens, Rivers Angels, Nasarawa Amazons and Delta Queens qualified for the super four tournament in Benin city .[9] [10] [11]
| + Team information[12] | |||
| Team | Stadium | Location | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers Angels F.C. | Yakubu Gowon Stadium | Rivers State | Edwin Okon[13] |
| Ibom Angels F.C. | Akwa Ibom State | Whyte Ogbonda [14] | |
| FC Robo | Lagos State | Emmanuel Osahon [15] | |
| Bayelsa Queens F.C. | Bayelsa State | Amabebe Ayebatonye | |
| Abia Angels F.C. | Abia State | Ann Chiejine[16] | |
| Heartland Queens F.C. | Eucharia Uche[17] | ||
| Sunshine Queens F.C. | Matthew Wemimo[18] | ||
| + Team information | |||
| Team | Stadium | Location | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confluence Queens F.C. | Lokoja | Tosin Ojo[19] | |
| Nasarawa Amazons F.C. | Nasarawa State | Christopher Danjuma[20] | |
| Pelican Stars F.C. | Calabar | Adat Egan [21] | |
| Osun Babes F.C. | Osogbo | Liadi Bashir[22] | |
| Sa'adatu Amazons F.C. | Minna | Ibrahim Ladan | |
| Adamawa Queens F.C. | Adamawa State | Bello Mohammed[23] | |
| Edo Queens F.C. | Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium[24] | Edo State | Kenneth Aigbe |
| Delta Queens F.C. | Delta State | Clifford Chukwuma[25] | |
| + 2017 Nigeria Women Premier League | |
| Team | Player (former club) |
|---|---|
| Rivers Angels F.C.[26] | Rofiat Sule (Bayelsa Queens), Tochuchukwu Oluehi (Medkila IL), Patience Kalu (Bayelsa Queens), Evelyn Nwabuoku (En Avant de Guingamp), Cecilia Nku (Medkila IL) and Halimatu Ayinde (FC Minsk) |
| Confluence Queens F.C. | Happiness Dauda (Taraba Queens), Ramat Abdulkarim (Abia Angels), Hauwa Abdullahi (Nasarawa Amazons), Esther Momoh (Sunshine Queens) and Tina Oyateleme (Sunshine Queens F.C.) |
| Ibom Angels F.C. | Joy Eroezi, Imaobong Emmanuel, Aniema Ibanga, Okadike Ugochi, Elizabeth Edward, Cynthia Akwasi, Mercy Udo Akpan, Blessing Dabrinze, Racheal Kolawole, Charity Isaiah [27] |
| Delta Queens F.C. | Lilian Cole (Bayelsa Queens), Njoku Chinyere (Capital City Doves), Maryan Ohadiwe (Adamawa Queens) and Amirat Adebisi (FC Robo Queens) |
| Sunshine Queens F.C. | Shola Oyewusi (Rivers Angels F.C.), Winifred Eyebhoria ((Rivers Angels F.C.)), Akudo Ogbonna (FC Robo), Nenna Eke (Ibom Angels), Kate Akpata (Ibom Angels), Alaba Adeusi (Osun Babes F.C.), Yemi Oladidupo and Kemi Odubanjo |
In August 2017, the league board fixed September 11 to 16th for the commencement of the mini-tournament. Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium will host the event. The winner and runner-up is to get ₦3,000,000 and ₦2,000,000 respectively.[28] [29] On September 7, 2017, it was announced that the super four has been rescheduled to hold on October 9-14th in the same venue. This was due to the scheduling conflict with 2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup qualifiers and Aiteo Cup games within same period.[30] In October 2017, the NWFL reached an agreement with Akogate Waters for the third place team to get ₦1,000,000 as prize money.[31]
| Rank | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reuben Charity | Ibom Angels | 8 |
| Rasheedat Ajibade | FC Robo Queens | ||
| Vivian Uwandi | Edo Queens | ||
| 4 | Tessy Biawho | Bayelsa Queens | 6 |
| Ijeoma Obi | Delta Queens | ||
| Monday Gift | FC Robo Queens | ||
| Rosemary Okezie | Delta Queens | ||