Top ten richest footballers in Nigeria in 2021
Nigerians continue to produce some of the world's best and most skilled football players, who command high wages. In 2021, we saw this progress accelerate even further, with players like Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Osimhen, Eberechi Eze, Chidera Ejuke, and many others plying their trade in various clubs across Europe.
Following their huge salaries, we have covered the list of the top 10 richest footballers in Nigeria who have received huge salaries to increase their net worth.
The list contains only footballers still active in their football careers, along with their net worth, including their salaries and assets.
Top ten richest footballers in Nigeria in 2021
- John Obi Mikel - net worth of ₦23 billion
- Obafemi Akinwunmi Martins - Net worth of ₦14 billion
- Odion Jude Ighalo - net worth of ₦12 billion
- Vincent Enyeama - net worth of ₦10 billion
- Victor Moses - net worth of ₦7.3 billion
- Ahmed Musa - net worth of ₦6.5 billion
- Emmanuel Emenike - net worth of ₦6.4 billion
- Victor Anichebe - net worth of ₦6 billion
- Kelechi Iheanacho - net worth of ₦1.4 billion
- Alex Iwobi - net worth of ₦1.3 billion
1. John Obi Mikel - net worth of ₦23 billion
John Mikel Obi is the richest Nigerian footballer. Mikel Obi played most of his football career at Chelsea.
John Mikel Obi's net worth is valued at ₦23 billion. The Nigerian international was on a high salary during his time with one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League, Chelsea.
A collection of Mikel Obi's luxury properties
Mikel Obi is a midfielder who started his football career with the Nigerian local team Plateau United before joining Lyn Football Club in Norway in 2014.
After two years in Norway, Mikel Obi joined the English club Chelsea, where he spent eleven years and earned lots of money before moving to the Chinese side Tianjin TEDA in 2017. At the Chinese club, he received over 3.6 billion naira annually.
In his time at Chelsea, Mikel Obi was a crucial part of the club's squad that won the 2009 Premier League Cup; he made 25 appearances for Chelsea.
Since leaving China, Mikel Obi has played for three clubs: Middlesbrough in the English Championship, Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super League, and Kuwait SC in Kuwait.
2. Obafemi Akinwunmi Martins - Net worth of ₦14 billion
Obafemi Martins is the second-richest Nigerian football player in 2021. His increased wealth came from his Chinese career, making him the second-richest football player in Nigeria in 2021.
Obafemi Martins' net worth is valued at ₦14 billion. Martins is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Wuhan Zall in the Chinese Super League.
His winning goal for Birmingham City against Arsenal in the 2011 League Cup final is still a cause for regret among Arsenal fans.
Obafemi Martins started his senior football career at Inter Milan, in the Italian Serie A. He played for Newcastle for five years and scored 28 goals in 88 appearances before moving to German Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg.
Obafemi Martins is the second richest football player in Nigeria
In 2016, Obafemi Martins joined the Chinese club, Shanghai Shenhua. He earned a lot of money to increase his net worth, earning 2.4 billion naira annually to become the second richest footballer in Nigeria.
At Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer, Obafemi Martins was the club's highest-ever-paid player and the fifth-highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, earning $1,600,000, $1,620,000, and $2,400,000, consecutively for three years.
Obafemi Martins earned 42 caps for the Nigerian national team and scored 18 goals for the country.
3. Odion Jude Ighalo - net worth of ₦12 billion
Odion Jude Ighalo is the third-richest Nigerian footballer. His net worth is valued at ₦12 billion.
It is a thing of surprise for Nigerians to see Ighalo make it onto the list of the richest footballers in Nigeria, having spent most of his career on loan.
Thanks to his move to the Chinese Super League, Ighalo became the third-richest football player in Nigeria in 2021.
Odion Ighalo is the third richest Nigerian footballer
Ighalo currently plays for Saudi club Al Shabab as a striker. He is on a six-month loan from Chinese Club Shanghai to Greenland Shenhua.
Odion Ighalo played for Watford in the English Premier League in 2016 and 2017, where he scored 19 goals for the club. His salary at Watford was 45,000 pounds per week.
Ighalo later joined Chinese club Changchun Yatai in 2017 before transferring to Shanghai Greenland Shenhua in 2019, where he earned a large salary.
Odion Ighalo built an orphanage home in Ijegun, Ajegunle, worth N500 million in December 2017, where he was raised as a child.
Ighalo earned 150,000 pounds per week at Manchester United and the same amount at his club in China, where he earned a 300,000-pound weekly salary.
4. Vincent Enyeama - net worth of ₦10 billion
With a net worth of $10 billion, former Nigerian Captain Vincent Enyeama is the fourth richest Nigerian footballer.
Former Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama is the fourth richest Nigerian footballer
The former Nigerian goalkeeper played for French club Lille from 2011 to 2018. He is Nigeria's most-capped player, having played for the Super Eagles from 2020 to 2015.
While playing for Lille, Vincent Enyeama earned a colossal annual salary worth around 1.8 million euros, which earned him a spot among the richest footballers in Nigeria in 2021.
The goalkeeper owns a Mercedes-Benz G-class coupe worth N25 million and a Range Rover Evogue worth N19.4 million.
Enyeama also has a big mansion in Lagos, where he lives with his family.
5. Victor Moses - net worth of ₦7.3 billion
Victor Moses is the 5th richest Nigerian footballer. Victor Moses' net is valued at ₦7.3 billion, having played for different clubs in the Premier League
Victor Moses is the fifth richest Nigerian footballer
Victor Moses plays as a winger for London club Chelsea. He has represented many English clubs, including Crystal Palace, Wigan Athletic, Chelsea, Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham.
In the 2019 season, Moses joined Inter Milan on loan from Chelsea under his former manager, Antonio Conte.
Victor Moses is currently playing for the Russian club Spartak Moscow after spending the 2020 season.
6. Ahmed Musa - net worth of ₦6.5 billion
Ahmed Musa is the 6th richest Nigerian football player in 2021, with a net worth valued at ₦6.5 billion.
Ahmed Musa played almost his entire career in two of the richest countries in the world. His career in Russia and Saudi Arabia has positioned him as Nigeria's sixth richest football player in 2021.
Even though the professional footballer currently plays for his home club, Kano Pillars, he still maintains his position as the 6th richest Nigerian footballer in 2021.
Ahmed Musa is the sixth richest Nigerian football player
At Leicester City in England, Ahmed Musa earned a weekly salary of $43,000. He earned a weekly salary of 60,000 pounds at the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, a whopping amount that helped him make the list of the richest football players in Nigeria in 2021.
Ahmed Musa has earned 87 caps in the Nigerian national team and scored 15 goals.
Musa owns different expensive cars, including a Range Rover Sport worth $50,000, which he bought in 2013, a Range Rover Velar worth $60,500, which he purchased in 2018, and a Mercedes Benz G-Wagon worth $127,650.
The winger also owns a mansion in Nigeria worth N500 million and a barbershop in Kanu worth N500 million.
7. Emmanuel Emenike - net worth of ₦6.4 billion
Emmanuel Emenike is the 7th richest Nigerian footballer in 2021. His net worth is valued at ₦6.4 billion.
Emmanuel Emenike is the 7th richest Nigerian football player
Emenike is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker but is unemployed. The last football club he played for was Westerlo in the Belgian Pro League back in 2019.
Emmanuel Emenike played a crucial role in the Super Eagles squad that won the 2013 African Cup of Nations.
Playing for different clubs in Europe, including Karabükspor in the Turkish Super League, Spartak Moscow in Russia, Fenerbahçe in Turkey, and Olympiacos in Greece, has made Emmanuel Emenike earn a huge amount of salary, and today, he is rated as the 7th richest footballer in Nigeria in 2021.
8. Victor Anichebe - net worth of ₦6 billion
Victor Anichebe is the 8th richest Nigerian footballer in 2021, with a net worth valued at ₦6 billion.
Victor Anichebe is the eight richest footballers in Nigeria
Victor Anichebe is currently without a football club. He is currently a free agent after playing for Beijing Enterprises in 2017.
Victor Anichebe has played for three different clubs in England, including his nine-year spell at Everton, West Bromwich Albion, for three years, and Sunderland for just one year.
Victor Anichebe has 11 caps for the Nigerian national team and one goal.
His past salaries in the Premier League have helped him become one of the richest footballers in Nigeria in 2021.
9. Kelechi Iheanacho - net worth of ₦1.4 billion
Kelechi Iheanacho is the 9th richest Nigerian football player in 2021. Kelechi Iheanacho's net worth is valued at ₦1.4 billion. The 24-year-old striker plays for Leicester City in the English Premier League.
Kelechi Iheanacho won the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup golden boot award for playing in the United Arab Emirates. Nigeria beat Mexico 3-0 in the final to win the trophy. Iheanacho was instrumental in that tournament.
Kelechi Iheanacho is the nine richest footballers in Nigeria
In 2021, Iheanacho became an essential player for his club, Leicester City, pairing with England striker Jamie Vardy in Brendan Rodgers' front two.
He scored 12 goals in the 2021 Premier League season for the Foxes and won the Premier League's player of the month award for March.
He won the 2021 Premier League's player of the month for March. Kelechi Iheanacho has made 23 appearances for the Nigerian national team and scored seven goals at the international level.
10. Alex Iwobi - net worth of ₦1.3 billion
Despite his recent slump in form, the former Arsenal midfielder Alex Iwobi is the 10th richest Nigerian footballer in 2021.
Alex Iwobi is the tenth richest footballer in Nigeria
Iwobi is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Everton in the English Premier League. He was part of Arsene Wenger's squad at Arsenal, where he spent four years.
At Arsenal, Alex Iwobi earned a weekly salary of 159,389 pounds after paying his tax and currently receives a weekly salary of 81,301 euros at Everton. Iwobi's annual salary is 2.6 million pounds.
Iwobi currently lives with his parents in England, something so strange for one of Nigeria's richest footballers.