The 2016 Nigeria Women Premier League was scheduled to start in February 2016, but was moved to 21 May, 2016. A total of 18 teams were registered for the season. The teams are divided into two groups of nine each. The winner of each abridged league will meet at the end of the season to determine the overall winner of the league. The Nigeria Women Premier League is one of the league competitions administered by the Nigeria Women Football League board. Rivers Angels F.C. came to the season as defending champions after winning the super six tournament in Abia State in the previous season. On 30 October 2016, Nasarawa Amazons F.C. and Rivers Angels F.C. were confirmed winners of group A and B respectively. Rafiat Sule and Paulinus Ifeoma of Bayelsa Queens F.C. and COD United Ladies F.C. respectively led the scorer's chart with nine goals, with the former edging Ifeoma with superior assist record. This is the second consecutive year of Sule being top scorer as she was also the goal king in 2015 season. On 10 August 2016, Tokas Queens and Capital City Doves were expunged from the league for failure to honour three consecutive matches. The number of expelled team was increased to seven a few weeks later after Nasarawa Amazons, Martin White Doves, F.C Robo, Confluence Queens and Adamawa Queens were also evicted for similar reasons. The NWFL board explained that their commitment to improving professionalism in female football in Nigeria was reason for the strict adherence to the prior rules of the competition. The economic recession in Nigeria has been highlighted as the reason for failure of teams to meet the financial demands of games. The clubs were later reinstated to the league after the League Management Company gave ten million naira to alleviate the running of the league. On 21 January 2017, at the Abuja National Stadium, Rivers Angels defeated Nasarawa Amazons on penalties after playing goalless. This is the second trophy won by the club after winning the 2016 Nigeria Women's Cup.
Format
Eighteen teams in two groups of nine each competed for the league title. Each team plays with every team in her respective group. Unlike 2015 season, where the top 3 teams from each group contested in a super 6 mini-tournament in Abia State to determine the overall winner, this season title decider involves only the winner of group A and group B. This two seasons are in contrast with the 2014 season where a complete round robin system was used. Rivers Angels and Nasarawa Amazons are to contest in a winners final to determine the overall winner of the league.
Rofiat Sule