Football has grown from a simple sport to a profitable business with sponsors, businessmen and game lovers investing millions of dollars.
Nigerian football stars have seen their status rise from simple grassroots lives to some of the most famous stars in the country and their clubs as well.
pulse sports features the richest Super Eagles players based on net worth among currently active players. Prepare for some shocks here:
10 Ola Aina – Net worth (₦3.1 billion)
Ola Aina plays as a winger or right-back for Serie A club Turin. The former Chelsea youth star is currently earning £24,000 a week from his Italian side.
Ola Aina has an estimated net worth of ₦3.109 billion (£6,327,360) and is famous for being the first Nigerian to win the prestigious Premier League Goal of the Month after his spectacular effort off the beaten path in the 2- 0 from Fulham over West Bromwich. Albion in November 2020.
9 Moses Simon – Net Worth (₦3.4 Billion)
Moses Simon plays as a winger for Ligue 1 club Nantes FC. The 26-year-old electric striker helped his side win their fourth Coupe de France title after beating Nice in the 2021/22 season final.
Moses earns around £29,000 a week with his French side and is one of the wealthiest Super Eagles stars in terms of net worth.
Moses Simon’s net worth is believed to be around £3.405billion (£6,961,240) and his current contract expires in June 2024, although he has been heavily linked with a move from France this summer.
8 Henry Onyekuru – Net worth (₦4.78 billion)
The 25-year-old striker currently plays for Turkish side Adana Demirspor on loan from Greek side Olympiacos.
The Lagos-born striker has certainly traveled extensively across Europe throughout his career playing for clubs like Everton, AS Monaco, Galatasaray among a few others.
Onyekuru is one of the highest paid Nigerian players with an estimated net worth of around ₦4.787 billion (£9,796,800).
7 Ademola Lookman – Net worth (₦6.26 billion)
RB Leipzig star Ademola Lookman comes seventh on the list of the Super Eagles’ richest players by net worth. He is one of the highest earning Super Eagles stars, earning around £2,704,000 a year.
The 24-year-old striker made his debut for the Super Eagles this year after switching allegiance from England and is one of the future stars of the Nigerian national team.
Lookman spent last season on loan at Leicester City and has an estimated net worth of around £6.267 billion (£12,718,160).
6 Victor Osimhen – Net worth (₦6.66 billion)
Napoli talisman Victor Osimhen is the second highest paid Nigerian footballer on the planet. The 23-year-old striker has managed to establish himself as one of the deadliest forwards in the Italian league, recently winning the Serie A Most Valuable Young Player award.
Osimhen earns around £5,824,000 a year and has an estimated net worth of ₦6.662 billion (£13,598,000). He was able to amass so much wealth in a short time thanks to his lucrative contracts with Lille and Napoli.
His current deal with Napoli expires in 2025 but the striker continues to be linked with a move away from Italy this summer, which could see him nearly double his annual earnings.
5 Kelechi Iheanacho – Net worth (₦11.03 billion)
Kelechi Iheanacho plies his trade in the Premier League with Leicester City FC. The 25-year-old striker is currently the most experienced Nigerian in the English Premier League and has often had clutch moments with his side.
‘Senior Kelz’ as he is nicknamed, he earns around £4,680,000 a year playing for Leicester City. He has an estimated net worth of around ₦11.035 billion (£22,360,000) to be among the top 5 richest Super Eagles players.
The former Manchester City man was also a brand ambassador for Multichoice Nigeria alongside Victor Osimhen and his Leicester team-mate Wilfred Ndidi.
4 Alex Iwobi – Net Worth (₦11.05 Billion)
Premier League star Alex Iwobi comes 4th on the list of the Super Eagles’ richest players. The 26-year-old Lagos-born striker plays for Everton FC and earns around £5,200,000 a year.
Iwobi’s net worth is estimated to be around £11.050 billion (£22,390,160). He is also a brand ambassador for sportswear giants PUMA.
3 Wilfred Ndidi – Net worth (₦12.83 billion)
Wilfred Ndidi is the highest paid African in the Premier League. The 35-year-old midfield star is one of Leicester City’s key players. Ndidi was also touted as the future Super Eagles captain following his consistent performances for the Nigerian national team.
Ndidi may not be a ‘showman’ when it comes to his wealth or how he spends his money, as he is one of the Super Eagles’ most reserved stars and also a family man.
Wilfred Ndidi has an estimated total net worth of around ₦12.831 billion (£26,130,000). He is also a brand ambassador. Fanbants.
2 Odion Ighalo – Net worth (₦14.6 Billion)
Ighalo is unarguably the highest paid Super Eagles star on the planet and the second richest Super Eagles star. The 33-year-old Lagos-born striker helped his Saudi side Al-Hilal win the league in the 2021/22 season.
The former Manchester United man is one of the richest sports athletes in Nigeria and is never afraid to show off his incredible wealth on his social media pages.
Ighalo has an estimated net worth of around ₦14.608 billion (£29,619,200). He is one of the most popular Super Eagles players and also known for his charity.
1 Victor Moses – Net worth (₦17.76 billion)
Spartak Moscow star Victor Moses is the Super Eagles’ richest player as of 2022 with an estimated net worth of around ₦17.766 billion (£36,140,000). The former Chelsea man is one of the most successful Super Eagles stars at club level.
The 31-year-old Lagos-born striker is unquestionably a Super Eagles legend and was instrumental in Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph in 2013.
Moses tops the richest Super Eagles list having amassed considerable wealth throughout his career with titles at European football’s top tier with Chelsea in 2017 and Inter Milan in the 2020/ 21.