| Competition: | Nigeria Professional Football League |
| Season: | 2020–2021 |
| Continentalcup1: | Champions League |
| Continentalcup2: | Confederation Cup |
| Matches: | 380 |
| Total Goals: | 789 |
| League Topscorer: | Silas Nwankwo & Charles Atshimene (19 goals) |
| Biggest Home Win: | Kwara 5–0 Adamawa (21 March 2021) |
| Highest Scoring: | Nasarawa 5–3 Abia Warriors (28 March 2021) |
| Longest Wins: | Kano Pillars & Enyimba (4 matches) |
| Longest Unbeaten: | Akwa United (18 matches) |
| Longest Winless: | Sunshine Stars (18 matches) |
| Longest Losses: | Adamawa United (5 matches) |
| Prevseason: | 2019–20 |
| Nextseason: | 2021–22 |
| Updated: | 6 August 2021 |
The 2020–21 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) was the 50th season of the top flight league in the Nigeria football league system and the 31st since its rebranding. The league started on 27 December 2020 after much delay and concluded on 5 August 2021.[1]
Enyimba were the defending champions from the 2019 season but failed to defend their title after finishing third on the table.[2]
The season was initially scheduled to commence on 6 December 2020 but after much delay, the League Management Company announced that the league would start on 27 December 2020 with all matches played behind closed doors.[3]
This season featured the 20 teams from the 2019–20 season as no clubs were promoted nor relegated as the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[2]
The League Management Company announced that only 13 stadiums across the country were eligible to host league matches as part of a broader club licensing regime, they were certified to have met minimum requirements to host games. Another 11 were recommended for varying degrees of upgrade and repair works before they can be certified[4]
This season saw a return of live NPFL matches. Selected matches were viewed live on NPFL TV and on NTA.
On 1 August 2021, Akwa United won their first NPFL title after a convincing 5–2 home win over MFM with a game left.[5] [6] Akwa United also set a league record with their 18-match unbeaten run, surpassing Enyimba in 2005 and Kano Pillars 2019–20 13-match unbeaten sequence.
Warri Wolves, Jigawa Golden Stars, Ifeanyiubah and Adamawa United were all confirmed relegated at the end of the campaign.
Nasarawa's Silas Nwankwo won the Eunisell golden boot award as the league topscorer for scoring lesser penalties having been tied with Akwa United's Charles Atshimene.[7]
The league consisted of 20 teams from the previous season.
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of departure | Incoming manager | Date of appointment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jigawa Golden Stars |  Dodo Isah | Sacked | 20 January | Gilbert Opana | 20 January[8] | |
| Katsina United | Bishir Sadauki | End of interim management | 21 January | Baldwin Bazuaye | 21 January[9] | |
| MFM | Tony Bulus | Resignation[10] | 10 February | Gabriel Olalekan | 22 February[11] | |
| Kano Pillars |  Lionel Soccoïa | Resignation[12] | 16 March | Ibrahim Musa | 17 March | |
| Warri Wolves | Evans Ogenyi | Sacked[13] | 17 March | Ortega Deniran | 20 May[14] | |
| Katsina United | Baldwin Bazuaye | Demotion to assistant coach | 3 May | Azeez Mohammed | 3 May[15] | |
| Wikki Tourists | Usman Abd'Allah | Resignation | 18 May[16] | Bala Jibrin | 20 May | |
| Sunshine Stars | Gbenga Ogunbote | Resignation[17] | 27 May | Deji Ayeni[18] | 1 June |
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silas Nwankwo | Nasarawa United | 19 |
| Charles Atshimene | Akwa United | ||
| 3 | Rabiu Ali | Kano Pillars | 14 |
| Michael Ohanu | Kwara United | ||
| 5 | Zulkifilu Rabiu | Plateau United | 13 |
| Sad'eeq Yusuf | Sunshine Stars | ||
| 7 | Ossy Martins | Lobi Stars | 11 |
| Chukwuemeka Obioma | Abia Warriors | ||
| 9 | Jude Steven | Kwara United | 10 |
| Christian Nnaji | Enugu Rangers | ||
| Samuel Stone | Jigawa Golden Stars | ||
| Player | For | Against | Result | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Kwara United | Adamawa United | 5–0 (H)[19] | ||
| | Nasarawa United | Abia Warriors | 5–3 (H)[20] | ||
| | Wikki Tourists | Ifeanyiubah | 4–3 (H)[21] | ||
| | Kwara United | Wikki Tourists | 3–1 (H) | ||
| | Abia Warriors | Adamawa United | 5–1 (H) | ||
| Akwa United | MFM | 5–2 (H)[22] |
Updated to match(es) played on 11 April 2021
| Rank | Player | Club | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auwalu Ali Malam | Kano Pillars | 6 |
| 2 | Umwana Asuquo | Dakkada | 5 |
| Stephen Jude | Kwara United | ||
| 4 | Ndifreke Effiong | Akwa United | 4 |
| Christian Ekong | Dakkada Enyimba | ||
| Elijah Akanni |
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dele Aiyenugba | Kwara United | 16 |
| Adewale Adeyinka | Akwa United | ||
| 3 | Stanley Nwabali | Lobi Stars | 14 |
| 4 | Abubakar Adamu | Plateau United | 10 |
| Sharp Uzoigwe | Ifeanyiubah | ||
| 6 | Chinedu Anozie | Plateau United | 8 |
| Chijioke Ejiogu | Heartland | ||
| Month | Manager of the Month | Player of the Month | References | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manager | Club | Player | Club | |||
| January | Gbenga Ogunbote | Sunshine Stars | Sad'eeq Yusuf | Sunshine Stars | [23] | |
| February | Fatai Osho | Enyimba | Ndifreke Effiong | Akwa United | ||