Six teams remain in contention for the 2025/2026 Nigeria Premier League title as the season enters its final six matchweeks, with defending champions Rivers United sitting on 58 points at the top, just two points ahead of second-placed Enyimba. Four clubs—Shooting Stars, Katsina United, Abia Warriors, and Nasarawa United—are within five points of the summit, keeping the race open. In the battle for continental qualification, only six points separate the teams from third to seventh place. At the other end, seven clubs are still at risk of relegation, with only goal difference keeping Akwa United above the drop zone. The tightest margin is at the bottom, where Niger Tornadoes sit in 18th with 37 points, just one point behind El-Kanemi Warriors and two ahead of bottom-placed Gombe United. Key fixtures in the coming weeks include Enyimba's home clash with Rivers United on May 17 and the Lagos derby between Shooting Stars and Remo Stars on May 10. Enyimba coach Fidelis Ilechukwu said, "We are not thinking about the table. We take each game like a final." Meanwhile, Abia Warriors' striker Ubong Ekpai has scored in each of his last five appearances, bringing his season tally to 14 goals.
When Fidelis Ilechukwu says Enyimba are treating every game as a final, it reveals the pressure-cooker reality of a title race where no lead is safe. With Ubong Ekpai firing on all cylinders, Abia Warriors are no longer just challengers—they're legit threats to break the traditional power duopoly. This isn't just a close season; it's a full-scale disruption of the NPFL's established order. For the first time in over a decade, the trophy could go to a club outside the usual suspects.
