When African football is the subject matter of any heated discussion, nobody would underestimate the significant contributions of notable Nigerian footballers. Remarkably, football has gone beyond a mere sporting activity and this is proven by how footballers (including Nigerian footballers) earn big. { Top 10 Richest Footballers In Nigeria }.
Every young Nigerian footballer is passionate about exploring the shores of wealthy continents (such as Europe, America, and Asia) where footballers are paid massively. This continually remains factual because the richest and most prominent Nigerian footballers have all taken their football careers beyond the confines of Nigeria. If you’re a talent-driven Nigerian footballer, then you should have an utmost desire to play in top European, Asian or American football clubs.
Without any dubiety, Nigerians constitute some of the wealthiest footballers on the African continent. Regarding this, it is always exciting to hold discussions about Nigeria’s richest footballers and how these fortunate athletes have taken their football careers beyond their fatherland.
This article extensively discusses the
Top 10 Richest Footballers in Nigeria . As a notable point, these athletes might not be the highest-paid Nigerian footballers but based on endorsements, salaries and the other fortunes they have garnered so far in their careers, they are the richest Nigerian footballers at the moment.
Top 10 Richest Footballers in Nigeria 2019
1. John Mikel Obi
Net Worth: $57 Million
State Of Origin: Jos
Mikel Obi, who began his football career in Nigeria, is Nigeria’s richest footballer at the moment. His professional football career began in Lyon Oslo –a Norwegian football club. Many years back, John Obi Mikel performed remarkably at a youth world cup whereupon his incredible performance earned him honour as the second most valuable player of the competition. Following this, Chelsea –an English football club –developed an interest in the Nigerian star. Soon, he joined Chelsea from the aforementioned Norwegian club.
John Obi Mikel – The Richest Footballers In Nigeria
Mikel’s spell at Chelsea proved to be one of his significant moments in football. His prolonged Chelsea spell of 10 years or so earned him massive wealth and incredible recognition as one of the most notable Nigerian footballers across the world.
Though Mikel Obi doesn’t have significant individual awards to his name, the Nigerian star is fortunate to have won a number of important trophies with London-based Chelsea. Currently, Mikel Obi plays for Tianjin Teda –the Chinese team where he is rewarded massively with £8.4 million as annual earnings. With this sumptuous salary base, one would easily believe that John Mikel Obi is immensely rich. Though a Nigerian, Mikel Obi is in a strong marital affair with a Russian model and child of Abrahimovic –a wealthy Russian man and owner of London-based Chelsea. Mikel is rumoured to have been in this marital affair for five years. So far so good, the affair (between Mikel and the Russian model) has yielded a male child.
Regarding his personal lifestyle, Mikel is seen as a person who fancies expensive assets and by reason of this, he possesses a number of colourful cars coupled with other assets in Nigeria and London. With the net worth of $57 million, Mikel Obi is unarguably the richest footballer of Nigerian descent.
2. Obafemi Martins
Net Worth: $35 Million
State Of Origin: Lagos
Obafemi Martins is a reputable footballer of Nigerian descent. At the young age of 16, he moved from Nigeria to Europe where he has played for a number of football clubs. Obafemi Martins, who is in his early thirties, has made his mark as a professional football across continents like Asia, America, and Europe. For the past 16 years, his career across different football clubs makes him the Nigerian footballer with the highest number of clubs played for.
Obafemi Martins – Top 10 Richest Footballers In Nigeria 2019
Nearly two years ago, Obafemi Martins joined Chinese-based team Shanghai Shenhua from Seattle Sounder –an MLS side. At Shanghai Shenhua, he is reported to be earning the whopping sum of £8.4 million on a yearly basis. During his spell at the MLS side [Seattle Sounder], Martins was reported with the estimated net worth of $35 million. With this enormous sum, Obafemi Martins perfectly fits into this list as the second richest Nigerian footballer. In addition to his Italy-based assets, Martins owns a number of assets in other places.
3. Victor Moses
Net Worth: $20.1 Million
State Of Origin: Jos
Victor Moses is a professional Nigerian footballer who plays as a winger for both Chelsea FC of England and the Nigeria national team. He has been in Chelsea for years but his Chelsea career, so far, has seen him serving loan spells in several other English clubs like Liverpool and West Ham. Precisely, Victor Moses is seen as a vigorous and diligent footballer. Meanwhile, his laudable performances contributed to Chelsea’s triumph as the EPL champions of 2017, giving Conte a successful debut season as Chelsea’s manager.
Currently, Victor Moses’ net worth is estimated around $20.1 million. Although football is his major source of income, Victor Moses doubles up his wealth with several endorsement deals estimated in excess of $1 million on a yearly basis. Above that, the Nigerian star possesses significant assets most of which are landed properties.
4. Ahmed Musa
Net Worth: $18 Million
State Of Origin:
Ahmed Musa is a Nigerian footballer of Hausa descent. Currently, he plays as a forward for both CSKA Moscow (a Russian football club) and the Nigeria national team. As a professional footballer, Ahmed Musa began his football sojourn in Nigeria and in 2010, he secured his move to the European continent where he now plays as a striker in the stated Russian side. In course of the 2016/2017 football season in Europe, Ahmed Musa completed his move from CSKA Moscow to England-based Leicester City. But due to his failure to impress at the English club, the Nigerian star eventually found his way back to CSKA Moscow.
Going by Islamic norms, Ahmed Musa decided to marry a second wife to make him a polygamous man. However, his wife Jamila, objected to this proposed move and afterward the couple divorced each other in April 2017. Ahmed Musa, who is now married to another woman, is considered a wealthy Nigerian footballer with the mouthwatering net worth of $18 million.
5. Emmanuel Emenike
Net Worth: $18 Million
State Of Origin: Imo State
Emmanuel Emenike is one of the prolific footballers of Nigerian descent. Currently, he plays as a striker for the Nigeria national team as well as Turkey-based Fenerbahce. Undoubtedly, Emenike was instrumental to the Nigerian squad that won the AFCON competition in 2013. As a prolific striker, Emenike is acclaimed for his physique and the ability to threaten defenders while on the ball.
Emmanuel Emenike once happened to be a victim of racial discrimination when some people at his club side identified him as a monkey. Despite how ridiculous this was, Emenike gave a shocking and funny response implying that next time, they shouldn’t hesitate to identify him as a rich monkey. Fortunately, Emenike’s success at the club level has earned him massive wealth, making him one of the richest Nigerian footballers. His current net worth is valued at $18 million and sources have claimed that he is fond of appearing at grandiose parties alongside musicians and other Nigerian dignitaries.
6. Yakubu Aiyegbeni
Net Worth: $14.5 Million
State Of Origin: Edo
Yakubu Aiyegbeni is a professional footballer born in the capital of Edo State, Nigeria. During his spell in the Nigeria national team, he served as a forward and bagged a significant number of goals. Importantly, his football fortune is believed to have stemmed from his career across Europe. In this regard, Yakubu Aiyegbeni has played as a striker for a number of English football clubs. In 2017, Yakubu Aiyegbeni became a free agent due to the failure of his club side to grant him a new contract offer. Despite the slight downturn, this has brought upon his football career, Yakubu Aiyegbeni remains one of the richest Nigerian footballers.
Yakubu Aiyegbeni is said to be out of contract offer from his last football club and regarding his age (34 years), he might not have the opportunity to be bought by a new club. Nevertheless, the professional footballer has taken the advantage of his long football spell in Europe to amass sumptuous wealth which now gives him the net worth of $14.5 million. Like other Nigerian stars, Yakubu Aiyegbeni possesses a number of assets including a petrol station and Auchi-based hotels.
7. Victor Anichebe
Net Worth: $11 Million
Place Of Birth: Lagos
Victor Anichebe is a professional footballer of Nigerian descent. He plays as a striker and he is best known for his athletic strength. He is a Nigerian-born footballer who relocated to the UK at the tender age of 1. Though Anichebe has gathered significant recognition and substantial wealth at the club level, his football career has had no significant impact on the Nigeria national team.
In 2013, he sparked a lot of controversies when he declined a return to the Nigeria national team following an injury setback. Apart from his initial record of 11 caps coupled with 1 goal, Anichebe is yet to mark another appearance for the Nigerian national team long since then. However, it is rumoured that the Nigerian has had conversations with the Super Eagles’ coach concerning a possible return to the Nigeria national team.
At the club level, Victor Anichebe is recognized for his EPL spell which has seen him play for English clubs like Everton. Anichebe, who is currently in a relationship with DJ Cuppy [a daughter to Nigerian billionaire and business mogul Femi Otedola], plays for England-based Sunderland and is declared with the net worth of $11 million.
8. Vincent Enyeama
Net Worth: $7 Million
State of Origin: Akwa Ibom
Vincent Enyeama, the former goalie of the Nigeria national team, is one of Nigeria’s richest footballers. During 2002 World Cup hosted by the pair of Korea and Japan, Enyeama marked his debut against England as the shot-stopper of the Nigeria national team. Since he marked his Super Eagles debut with that match which ended in a 0-0 draw, Enyeama has traveled around and played professional football in France and Israel.
While Enyeama was the shot-stopper of Enyimba –a Nigerian-based professional team –he helped the team in winning the CAF Champions League for two consecutive seasons. This marked a remarkable feat in the Nigerian Professional League, making Enyimba the first football club to achieve it.
In consequence of a quarrel with Sunday Oliseh –a former Super Eagles fellow –Vincent Enyeama resigned from the Nigeria national team only a few years ago. Precisely, Vincent Enyeama has made his mark in the Ligue 1 [French league] as the number 1 goalie of Lille FC. Annually, the Nigerian star earns the total of £1.8 million and his current net worth is estimated at $7 million.
9. Taye Taiwo
Net Worth: $6.6 Million
State Of Origin: Lagos
Taye Taiwo –a left-footed footballer –is considered one of the richest Nigerian footballers and at the moment, he is declared with the net worth of $6.6 million.
10. Osaze Odemwingie
Net Worth: $5.5 Million
Origin: Russian/Nigerian
Osaze Odemwingie is a Nigerian with a slight Russian descent –probably because his birth came about many years ago in Russia. 35-year-old Osaze was raised both in Nigeria and Russia. During his spell in the Nigeria national team, Osaze played as a forward and was often praised for his diligence, athletic skills and his commitment to giving Nigeria his best. As a professional footballer, Osaze marked his Super Eagles debut at the Korea-Japan World Cup of 2002. Thereupon, he continued appearing for the Super Eagles until 2014.
At the club level, Osaze has played for a number of football clubs but he is best known for his spell at West Brom –an English football club. Osaze’s years in the English Premier league yielded him a remarkable goal-scoring tally and significant recognition as a talented Nigerian footballer. Osaze, who currently plays for Liga 1 side Madura United, is highly recommended for his football success in the EPL. At the moment, he is declared with the net worth of $5.5 million. Besides football, Osaze is said to have made some reasonable money for having appeared on the endorsement deals of mega brands like Pepsi.
That’s all about The Richest Footballers In Nigeria 2019.
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