It’s no surprise that football, attracting billions of fans worldwide, is considered one of the richest sports in the world. Despite Nigeria facing challenges such as issues in governance and infrastructure, the country still produces the most talented footballers. Here is a list of the wealthiest footballers of Nigerian decent:
Victor Osimhen
Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen was born in Olusosun Lagos, Nigeria on the 29th of December in 1998. He is the last of his parents 6 children. In 2020 Osimhen transferred to Serie A club Napoli for a club-record fee of €70 million. His net worth stands at an estimated €1.8 million.
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Alex Iwobi
Iwobi, born 3 May 1996, is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Everton and the Nigeria national team. He began his career at Arsenal, making 149 appearances and scoring 15 goals, and winning the FA Cup in 2017, as well as scoring in the 2019 UEFA Europa League Final. In August 2019, he transferred to Everton for an initial £28 million fee. His net worth stands at an estimated €7.2 million.
Kelechi Iheanacho
Kelechi plays as a forward for Premier League club Leicester City and the Nigeria national team. He was born in Owerri, Imo state and travelled to the UK to play football after being signed by Manchester City. His net worth stands at an estimated €10 million.
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Yakubu Aiyegbeni
Born 22 November 1982, also known as Yakubu, is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a striker. He has appeared in over 250 Premier League matches for Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton, and Blackburn Rovers, and is the fourth highest African goal scorer in Premier League history with 96 goals. His net worth stands at an estimated €13 million.
Victor Moses
Moses (born 12 December 1990) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a winger on either flank for Russian club Spartak Moscow. He has also been deployed as a wing-back at times during his career. Moses began his career in the Championship with Crystal Palace, before his performances caught the eye of Wigan Athletic, where he made his Premier League debut in 2010. His net worth stands at an estimated €20 million.
Obafemi Martins
Martins (born 28 October 1984) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a forward. He is known for his speed on the ball. After leaving Nigeria for Italy at age 16, he has since played for a number of top-division clubs around Europe. His net worth stands at an estimated €31 million.
Odion Ighalo
Ighalo (born 16 June 1989) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Saudi Professional League club Al Hilal and the Nigeria national team.
He joined Chinese Super League side Changchun Yatai in 2017 before moving to Shanghai Greenland Shenhua in 2019. In January 2020, Ighalo joined Manchester United on loan, becoming the first Nigerian to play for the club. He signed with Al Hilal in January 2022, becoming one of the wealthiest players in Nigeria. His net worth stands at an estimated €34 million.
Mikel Obi
Obi (born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna; 22 April 1987) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.
Mikel began his career with local club Plateau United, before joining Norwegian club Lyn at the age of 17 in 2004. In 2006, he made a controversial transfer to English club Chelsea after Manchester United claimed they had already signed him. He stayed with Chelsea for 11 years, before moving to China with Tianjin TEDA in 2017. After two years in China, he returned to England on a short-term deal with Middlesbrough, before joining Trabzonspor on a free transfer in July 2019. Mikel moved back to England in August 2020 joining Stoke City. In a 14-year international career between 2005 and 2019, he played 91 times for Nigeria, scoring six goals. His net worth stands at an estimated €40 million.