The 2013 Nigeria Professional Football League will be the 42nd season of the competition since its inception, and the 23rd since the rebranding of the league as the "Professional League". Due to start in December, numerous delays and challenges to the board pushed the opening weekend back to February, and then pushed to March 9. There was a season-opening Super Four tournament won by Heartland F.C. between the four clubs involved in Continental competitions in order to get them ready for their international assignments.[1]
| Season | 2013 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Kano Pillars |
| Champions League | Pillars, Enyimba |
| Confederation Cup | Bayelsa United |
| Matches played | 380 |
| Goals scored | 764 (2.01 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Victor Namo Nasarawa United F.C., 18 |
| Biggest home win | Enugu Rangers 4 Pillars 0, 28 April Heartland 4 Gombe 0, 31 March |
| Biggest away win | Shooting Stars 0 Heartland 2, 15 May |
| Highest scoring | Lobi Stars 3 Bayelsa United 4, 7 July |
← 2012 2014 → | |
Sixteen teams from the previous season and four teams promoted from the Nigeria National League (Bayelsa United, El-Kanemi Warriors, Nasarawa United and Nembe City F.C.) participated in this season.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kano Pillars (C) | 38 | 20 | 3 | 15 | 46 | 40 | +6 | 63 | Qualification for 2014 CAF Champions League |
| 2 | Enyimba (Q) | 38 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 32 | 19 | +13 | 62 | |
| 3 | Bayelsa United (Q) | 38 | 19 | 4 | 15 | 42 | 39 | +3 | 61 | Qualification for 2014 CAF Confederation Cup |
| 4 | El-Kanemi Warriors | 38 | 18 | 6 | 14 | 43 | 33 | +10 | 60 | |
| 5 | Enugu Rangers | 38 | 18 | 4 | 16 | 47 | 37 | +10 | 58 | |
| 6 | Gombe United | 38 | 18 | 1 | 19 | 38 | 46 | −8 | 55 | |
| 7 | Warri Wolves (Q) | 38 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 42 | 33 | +9 | 55 | Qualification for 2014 CAF Confederation Cup |
| 8 | Sharks | 38 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 35 | 32 | +3 | 53 | |
| 9 | Dolphins | 38 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 32 | 34 | −2 | 53 | |
| 10 | Kaduna United | 38 | 17 | 2 | 19 | 37 | 45 | −8 | 53 | |
| 11 | Heartland | 38 | 16 | 4 | 18 | 39 | 32 | +7 | 52 | |
| 12 | Sunshine Stars | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 39 | 35 | +4 | 52 | |
| 13 | Nasarawa United | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 37 | 42 | −5 | 52 | |
| 14 | Lobi Stars | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 35 | 40 | −5 | 52 | |
| 15 | Nembe City | 38 | 16 | 4 | 18 | 31 | 47 | −16 | 52 | |
| 16 | Akwa United | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 41 | 46 | −5 | 51 | |
| 17 | Kwara United (R) | 38 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 50 | Relegated to Nigeria National League |
| 18 | ABS (R) | 38 | 14 | 8 | 16 | 35 | 43 | −8 | 50 | |
| 19 | Wikki Tourists (R) | 38 | 15 | 4 | 19 | 40 | 43 | −3 | 49 | |
| 20 | Shooting Stars (R) | 38 | 13 | 7 | 18 | 41 | 46 | −5 | 46 |
Akwa United were banished to Rojenny Stadium in Anambra State for the rest of the season after a Week 18 incident against Warri Wolves where fans invaded the pitch and attacked officials.[2]
A September game between Kano Pillars and Enyimba was abandoned in the final minutes because of crowd trouble. Pillars will play the rest of the season in Kaduna. After the league originally awarded the forfeit to Enyimba, the NFF ruled the game to be replayed 9 October in Lokoja.[3]
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharks F.C. | Augustine Eguavoen | Resigned | 24 March 2013 | Gbenga Ogunbote | 30 March 2013[4] |
| Sunshine Stars F.C. | Samuel Abimbola | Fired | 29 May 2013 [5] | Fatai Amoo | 3 June 2013 |
| Lobi Stars F.C. | Dominic Iorfa | Interim | Evans Ogenyi | 10 July 2013 | |
| Nasarawa United F.C. | Alphonsus Dke | Fired | 22 August 2013 | Kadiri Ikhana[6] | 22 August 2013 |
