Top 6 Current Highest-Paid Nigerian Footballers in Europe

Nigerian footballers are currently waxing stronger by day in top Clubs in Europe countries, making big names for themselves and earning higher wages with their Europe counterparts.

Taking a retrospective look back to the early 90s, Nigeria has produced some of the biggest and most talented footballers to ever played football in Europe. Such great Nigerian footballers in the likes of Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu and a number of other great football players left the Nigerian league for top European teams, where they attained greatness and immense wealth.

They are not only earning fabulous amount for themselves, they repatriate part of their hard earnings back to Nigeria towards stimulating the country’s economy and projecting the good image of Nigeria to the outside world in the field of sports.

Today, we have a number of Nigerian football stars who are currently doing very well in Europe countries and earning big money. Achieving this task is not by highest earning alone, rather by number of goals scored, top clubs and earnings.

Some current highest-paid Nigerian footballers are as follow:

1. Victor Osimhen (Napoli): £96K a week

 

Just recently, the 21-year-old Nigerian football star, Victor Osimhen transferred to the Italian Serie-A side, Napoli. This is one of the most expensive African footballer transfers in European football. Victor Osimhen who signed until June 2025 as new Napoli player is currently the man to watch in European league.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Osimhen would join Napoli from Lille, for the tune of €50 million+ add-ons to Lille, and he would sign a contract with the Naples side. This would keep him in Italy until 2025.

Osimhen is also expected to earn €5 million Euros a year (an average of £96K per week) in wages, image rights and bonuses which would make him one of the highest-earning Nigerian footballer in Europe.
To many football fans and key players in the sports arena, this is a deserved fee for Osimhen after scoring 13 goals in 27 league games for Lille in the 2019/20 season.

2. Odion Ighalo (Manchester United): £125K a week

Odion Ighalo who recently transferred to Manchester United on loan from the Chinese Super League side Shangai Shenshua, is becoming the one of the rare Nigerian talents to play for Manchester United.
Since his transfer, Ighalo has emerged a fan favorite with the EPL side, netting a total of 5 goals in 17 games for Manchester United so far.
His weekly earnings of £125K make him one of the highest-paid Nigerian footballers in Europe.

3. Victor Moses ( Chelsea): £75K a week

 

Victor Moses currently on loan from Chelsea at Inter Milan, shares a spot with Wilfred Ndidi.
He joined Chelsea in 2012 after he was signed from Wigan Atheltic. He is one of the few Nigerian footballers to win both the Premier League and a European title who also made the list of the six highest paid Nigerian footballer in Europe.

4. Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City): £75K a Week

Wilfred Ndidi is a young talented Nigerian defensive midfielder with Leicester City. The young Ndidi joined the EPL side for a £17 million deal from Belgian club Genk.
He has become one of the most vibrant and well known defensive midfielders in European Football.
Ndidi has not only represented the Super eagles severally in international competitions, but attracts interest from bigger clubs in Europe.

 

5. Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City): £60K a week

Kelechi Iheanacho who made a humble beginning from The FIFA Under-17 World Cup winner with Nigeria emerging 4th position.
He also won the FIFA Under-17 World Cup Golden Ball, which attracted the attention of Manchester City.
He made his league debut for Manchester City in the 2015-16 season and was sold 2 years later for £25 million to Leicester City making one of the most expensive Nigerian Footballer in Europe.

6. Alex Iwobi (Everton): £50K a week

Alex Iwobi started his career with Arsenal, making his league debut in the 2015/16 season.
He played a total of 100 league games for Arsenal and helped the North London club secure the 2017 FA Cup trophy.
The 24-year-old Alex Iwobi comes in 5th position.

In 2019, he was sold to Everton in a five-year deal worth up to £34 million, signing a £50K a week deal with the Northern English club and one of the highest paid Nigerian footballer in Europe.

In summary, we must give kudos to these solid, highly talented rated highest paid Nigerian footballers in Europe who are currently making big names for themselves and projecting the good image of the country to the outside world.