Rangers International FC emerged champions of the 2023/24 Nigeria Premier Football League after a 2-0 victory over relegated Gombe United in Jos. It is the Flying Antelopes’ 8th topflight league title, second overall behind Enyimba FC (9).

We look at the DigitSport Team of the season and why they made the team.

Amas Obasogie (BEN)
Sadiq Ismail (REM), Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (RAN), Gbolagade Adelowo (SHO), Kenneth Igboke (RAN)
Rabiu Ali (PIL), Eze Ekwutoziam (ENY), Kazeem Ogunleye (RAN)
Sani Suleiman (AKW), Sikiru Alimi (REM), Chijioke Mbaoma (ENY)
Fidelis Ilechwukwu (RAN).

With 18 clean sheets in 34 appearances for Bendel Insurance, Amas Obasogie kept 3 more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in the 2023/24 NPFL. The Benin based side conceded just 30 goals – at least 3 fewer than any other club in the season. Amas Obasogie made 4 appearances in the Team of the Week (TOTW) – joint highest for goalkeepers with Joshua Enaholo (TOR) and Christian Nwoke (SPL). Amas was ever present with Insurance – only Stephen Sodje made more starts (37) than the goalkeeper.

Most Clean Sheets (Goalkeepers)
18 – Amas Obasogie (Bendel Insurance)
15 – Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars)
15 – Kingdom Osayi (Doma United)
13 – Joshua Enaholo (Niger Tornadoes)

Best Clean sheet Ratios (10+ clean sheets)
55.6% (15/27) – Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars)
55.0% (11/20) – Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba)
54.5% (12/22)- Okiemute Odah (Shooting Stars)
52.9% (18/34)- Amas Obasogie (Bendel Insurance)
51.7% (15/29) – Kingdom Osayi

Sadiq Ismail is the only player that featured in consecutive TOTS. With 13 assists, no player made more than the Remo Stars right back. He made 7 appearances in the TOTW – at least one more than any other NPFL player. He started 33 matches and made 34 appearances for Remo Stars – Only Junior Nduka (35) made more starts and appearances. One the left, Kenneth Igboke had an impressive season for Rangers International – making 21 appearances. He made 4 appearances in the TOTW – joint highest for left backs. The full backs got invited to the Super Eagles this season.

Most Appearances in the NPFLInsider Team of the Week (TOTW)
7 – Sadiq Ismail
6 – Kazie Enyinnaya, Jonathan Alukwu

Shooting Stars finished in the top four for the first time since 1998. They conceded 34 goals – only bettered by Enyimba (33), Rangers (33), and Insurance (30). Centre back Gbolagade Adelowo was instrumental to their success. He started all 38 matches for Shooting and made the TOTW 3 times. He is the only player that started every game for their club side in the season. Ifeanyi Onyebuchi started every home match for Rangers and made the highest starts and appearances (36) for the club. He scored 2 goals as a centre back for the Flying Antelopes.

Like fine wine, Rabiu Ali was a kingpin in Kano Pillars’ race in the season. The ever-present midfielder made 34 starts and 36 appearances for Pillars – the highest for the club in the season. With 10 goals, Rabiu Ali was one of the two Kano Pillars’ player that scored 10+ goals in the season (11 – Ibrahim Mustapha). He made 5 appearances in the TOTW – Joint highest for CM/AM with Rangers Kazeem Ogunleye who also made the TOTS. Kazeem Ogunleye was Rangers’ most regular player in the TOTW. He scored at least 4 free kicks for the Flying Antelopes – the highest for any NPFL player in the season. He finished the season with 7 goals, behind Godwin Obaje for the Enugu based side. Eze Ekwutoziam was the man in the middle for Enyimba, starting & appearing in more NPFL matches than any other player in the club. Featuring mostly on the left, he scored 3 goals and had over 40 matches in all competitions.

Up front, Sani Suleiman is one of the reasons Akwa United retained their Premier League status. Despite playing just the second half of the season, Sani Suleiman was the club’s joint highest goal scorer with 11 goals. He scored 3 braces – joint highest with Robert Mizo, Ubong Friday and Sikiri Alimi. His goals accounted for 25% of Akwa United’s goals this season – 5th highest in the league. In 19 game-weeks, Sani appeared in 5 TOTWs – the joint highest for forwards in the league.

Remo Stars forward Sikiri Alimi scored 15 goals in the league – finishing second place on the scorer’s chart and 10 more goals than any of his teammates. His goals accounted for 28.3% of the club’s goal – the 4th highest in the season. He scored 5 goals in November 2023; only Albert Hilary scored more (6) in a calendar month in the season. He made the TOTW five times – 4th in the league and joint 1st for forwards.

Top Scorers
17 – Chijioke Mbaoma (ENY)
15 – Sikiru Alimi (REM)
12 – Bashir Usman (TOR), Jonathan Alukwu (SPL), Albert Hilary (PLA), Godwin Obaje (RAN)

Chijioke Mbaoma ensured that there is an Enyimba Forward in the top scorers chart this season. With 17 goals, he emerged the highest goal scorer – 2 more goals than any other player in the league and 13 more than any of his teammates. His goals were over one third (37%) of the goals scored by Enyimba FC – the highest in the season. He scored 8 opening goals and 5 winning goals – at least one more than any other player in the league. Only Eze Ekwutoziam made more appearances than Chijioke Mbaoma. He did not miss from the spot, converting all 8 penalty kicks he took. He scored 12 goals at home, at least one more than any other player in the league.

Fidelis Ilechukwu is the most fulfilled man in the league with his first ever NPFL title as a coach. He came close with MFM FC and Plateau United few seasons ago. 5 times, he was in the TOTW – the highest by any coach in the season. He was able to see off Remo Stars and record holders Enyimba FC to finish as champions of the NPFL. He would hope to do better on the continent as he leads Rangers to the CAF Champions League.