Ranchers Bees of Kaduna have completed a return to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) after 16 years following the conclusion of the Nigeria National League (NNL) Conference D on Wednesday, www.aclsports.com reports.
Going into the final day, the Bees and Jigawa Golden Stars were in a straight fight for the group’s sole promotion ticket. However, due to several disciplinary issues surrounding the group, the final group matches were delayed before being played on Wednesday.
Ranchers Bees travelled to face Gombe United, while Jigawa Golden Stars, who recently played in the NPFL in 2021, were also on the road at Kebbi United. The other group game was between Yobe Desert Stars and Bichi First FC.
Although Bees lost 2-0 at the Pantami Stadium in Gombe, Jigawa Golden Stars’ defeat in Kebbi meant they finished top of the standings, consequently securing the promotion ticket. It is the first time the Bees have returned to the elite division since they went down in the 2009/10 league campaign.
The Bees, alongside Sporting Lagos, Inter Lagos, and Doma United, are the newly promoted teams in the NPFL for the 2026/27 season. The four clubs will now proceed to Ikenne in May for the Super Four to determine the overall winner of the NNL campaign.
