Former Nigerian Footballers Breaking New Grounds In Business

Kanu Nwankwo, fondly called Papilo, owned London Properties besides a luxury car collection, while in his active days as a professional footballer.

Kanu’s career earnings were £40,000 a week at Inter Milan before he made his $4.5 million move to English side, Arsenal.

However, his earnings were significantly reduced to £25,000 a week at the London club, which led to a standoff between the player and the club management that was later resolved. He has since transferred his success on the pitch to the business world.

The former Super Eagles star has a host of investments, especially in Real Estate. He owns the prestigious Hardley Apartments, a 4-star hotel located on Victoria Island, Lagos. The Nigerian football legend is also the global ambassador for Sportsbet.io, a crypto sports gaming and entertainment firm. Kanu is also a brand ambassador for Simba TVS, endorsing vehicles like the TVS King tricycle and Apache Power Bike. He was appointed global ambassador of Sportsbet in 2022. He serves as the current chairman of Enyimba Football Club.

Austin Okocha

Austin Okocha, fondly called Jay-Jay Okocha, has built a successful business empire since he stepped aside from the round leather game.

During his illustrious football career, Jay-Jay Okocha was among the highest earners in the sports world. At Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), he commanded an annual salary of approximately $1.5 million.

His move to Bolton Wanderers in 2002 reportedly made him one of the club’s top earners with an annual salary of about £2.5 million.

These substantial earnings reflect his exceptional talent and significant impact on the field.

He is currently the CEO of the Jay-Jay Okocha Group West Africa. This conglomerate encompasses various divisions including a Bureau de Change, a restaurant, a bar and the importation of consumer products such as wine. Additionally, the company is actively engaged in property development, road construction, electronic sales and distribution, and football management.

As a brand ambassador, Okocha has collaborated with a wide array of well-known brands such as Bajaj Auto (an Indian motorcycle manufacturing company), Kwik Delivery, Xiaomi, Bullet Energy Drink, New Age and BetKing.

Obafemi Martins

Obafemi Martins was a prolific striker for various top clubs in his active days. He was ranked as the fifth-highest paid player in Major League Soccer during his stint at Seattle Sounders.

The peak of Martins’ financial success came with his switch to the Chinese Super League with Shanghai Shenhua where his salary increased threefold. By the time he signed with Wuhan Yangtze River F.C. in 2020, his earnings saw a slight reduction but still remained substantial.

During his time with Wuhan Yangtze River F.C., Martins earned approximately €5,622,340 annually, which translates to around ₦9,989,209,439. This equated to €117,132 (₦208,108,382) per week.

As an ex-player, he is currently faring well financially. Martins owns thriving businesses including Cosa Nostra Patron, a well-known nightclub in Lagos.

His own fashion range, snap-back caps, is called ObaGear. ObaGear has the image of the striker doing a backflip which is his signature style of goal celebration. Martins has other business ventures that range from real estate to car importation. He also runs the Obafemi Martins Foundation.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni

Yakubu Aiyegbeni, popularly called ‘The Yak’, was named the ‘Richest Nigerian Player’ in 2015. After proving himself for several seasons in the English Premier League, Aiyegbeni made a big-money move to China’s Guangzhou R&F where he was earning about £100,000 weekly. His annual take home at the Chinese club was in excess of about £5,040,000.

Since hanging up his boots, Aiyegbeni has made investments in real estate which include mansions in England and Nigeria, he is also into hospitality business in his native Benin City where he also owns a number of petrol stations. He has also invested in sports management. His company, Wilbury Sports Management, is committed to developing future coaches and athletes and has a training facility in Florida, USA.

Mikel Obi

Nigerian midfield maestro, Mikel Obi, made a fortune from football before retiring to go into other business ventures. Chelsea paid 16 million pounds for Obi. Subsequently, the Nigerian midfielder spent 11 years at Chelsea. In the 2014/2015 season, his salary was 75,000 pounds per week.

In early 2017, having become a free agent, he signed a contract with Tianjin Teda in the Chinese League where he earned about 140 000 pounds per week. He was earning a whopping €3.66 million, or €76,166 per week during his time with Kuwait SC.

Mikel is a prime example of a successful post-retirement life. Currently, he operates a successful transport business in Jos, catering to the growing demands of Nigeria’s road transport industry. Mikel has also ventured into the media space with his acclaimed podcast, Obi One Podcast, where he shares insights into sports and business. He is also the face of BetWinner in Africa.

Emmanuel Emenike

Emmanuel Emenike has leveraged his football income to create a flourishing business empire. He had lucrative spells in Turkey, Russia and Greece and was known for his strong physical presence and goal-scoring ability. Emenike, though retired from international football, still maintains a strong financial presence with a net worth estimated at €15 million, making him one of the richest Nigerian ex-footballers.

Emenike has investments in the hospitality and healthcare sectors. He operates a luxury hotel in Nigeria designed for both local and international guests, and has also initiated a ₦250 million hospital in his hometown of Owerri, providing the community with access to quality medical services.

He owns several real estate properties in Lagos and Owerri, EE 29 Hotels and Suites in Owerri, Imo State and sells premium Turkish armoured doors for luxury homes.

Sam Sodje

Although born in England, Sam Sodje’s family has Nigerian roots, making him eligible to play for both the England and Nigeria national football teams. He has investments in the construction sector, with Innovation Creations Limited specialising in leasing heavy machinery.

Victor Ikpeba

Victor Ikpeba is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a forward.

Ikpeba was discovered by Belgian club, RFC Liège, during the 1989 FIFA U-17 World Championship, and moved to play in Belgium together with teammate, Sunday Oliseh.

At Monaco, he gradually became a success, albeit with a tough start. His performances earned him the African Footballer of the Year award in 1997. Two successful seasons followed.

Ikpeba again teamed up with Sunday Oliseh at Borussia Dortmund in 1999, for a transfer fee of £4.8 million.

Ikpeba has turned his expertise to sports media as a pundit for SuperSports, where he co-hosts Monday Night Football.

Speaking on life after football in an interview with The Punch in 2018, he said, “I have been lucky and privileged because it’s not easy to do something else after football. Retirement for footballers is the toughest (decision) sometimes because you have money but don’t know what to do the next day. We all know that sometimes, footballers engage in business and they lose a lot of money.”

Ikpeba is also a brand ambassador for Bet9ja, Nigeria’s leading sports betting platform. His insight and enthusiasm for the sport have made him a respected figure in football analysis, inspiring a new generation of fans and players alike.

Vincent Enyeama

Former Nigeria goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, earned substantial amounts in his playing career. In 2018, French football magazine L’Equipe named Enyeama the sixth highest paid African footballer in the French Ligue 1. In his last season at Lille, the former Nigerian captain earned in excess of 180,000 euros every month at the club.

In retirement, Enyeama is currently the owner of Vinpy Hotels in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The hotel is a well-known place in the neighbourhood because of its calm setting and modern facilities. His passion as a player is reflected in his attention to providing high-quality service, which draws people of all kinds to the establishment.

Sunday Oliseh

Former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, started his playing career at the Nigerian side, Julius Berger. From there, he moved to Belgium where he played for RFC Liege.

After playing for the Belgian side, FC Liege for four years, Oliseh was transferred to other clubs including Ajax, Juventus F.C, AC Reggiana and KRC Genk Belgium where he had an illustrious playing career. He also had stints with Borussia Dortmund and VFL Bochum in Germany. Since his retirement, Oliseh has made strides in coaching and sports management.

He currently coaches the German club SV 19 Straelen and serves as CEO of SOOLIS SPORTS in Belgium, which focuses on sports development and consulting. Oliseh’s resumè includes coaching the Nigerian national team and winning an Olympic gold medal, all of which he brings into his business and coaching roles today.