Football has become a remarkably profitable career, and Nigerian players have been cashing out with the round-leather game all over the world.
Whether it's in the glamorous English Premier League or in oil-rich Saudi Arabia, Nigerian footballers ply their trades in all parts of the world, and are paid some decent money for their services.
Footballers make their money in a variety of ways. Their main sources of income are wages and salaries they receive from their clubs, and the endorsement deals they get from brands and sponsors.
Given their popularity, footballers appeal to all sorts of brands; from clothing manufacturers to betting companies. In fact, many betting sites in Nigeria now use former Super Eagles players as their brand ambassadors.
In this article, we list the five wealthiest Nigerian footballers that are still active.
5. Ahmed Musa
Estimated Net Worth: $18 Million
Musa is a proper legend of Nigerian football. He has represented the country in several major international competitions, helping the Super Eagles to the African Cup of Nations title in 2013.
Musa's first stint at a European club was in 2010, when he joined Dutch side, VVV Venlo, but it was at Russian outfit, CSKA Moscow that he really made his name.
Musa won three league titles with the Russian giants, and claimed the Russian Cup in 2013. The forward also had a spell at Leicester City in England and Saudi club Al Nassr before returning home to Kano Pillars.
While playing for Leicester City, Musa was on a reported salary of $43,000; while he was paid $60,000 per week in Saudi Arabia.
4. Victor Moses
Estimated Net Worth: $25 Million
Victor Moses may have stepped aside from Super Eagles duties, but the forward turned wing-back is still going in his club career.
Moses was pivotal to Nigeria's success at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, but his international career came to an abrupt end in 2018 when he announced his retirement following the FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Moses spent almost a decade in English football, with the highest point of his stay in England being his Premier League success with Chelsea in 2017.
3. Obafemi Martins
Estimated Net Worth: $43 Million
Obafemi Martins burst onto the scene in the early 2000s, when he represented Inter Milan as a teenager.
Blessed with explosive pace and precision finishing, the striker would go on to be one of the most feared in the world.
During a successful time in Italy, he won the Serie A title with Inter, and helped the Nerazzurri to two Coppa Italia triumphs.
Martins played 42 times for the Super Eagles, scoring 18 goals in the process.
Now into his late 30s, the speedy forward is spending the latter years of his career in China, no doubt still raking in the cash!
2. Odion Ighalo
Estimated Net Worth: $41 Million
Like Victor Moses, Odion Ighalo retired from Super Eagles duties a little earlier than expected, calling it quits with the national team after the 2019 Nations Cup.
The striker did make his mark in the green and white colours, bagging the Golden Boot award in the 2019 AFCON, a year after leading the line for the Eagles at the FIFA World Cup in Russia.
After spending a decade in Europe, where he represented teams like Granada and Watford, Ighalo moved to China in 2017, turning out for Changchun Yatai and then Shanghai Shenhua.
He briefly returned to Europe for a brief loan spell with Manchester United, where he reportedly earned $130,000 per week.
That's less than half of the staggering £300,000 per week he was being paid in China! Odion currently plays in Saudi Arabia, still making the money, of course!
1. John Mikel Obi
Estimated Net Worth: $60 Million
John Mikel Obi will go down as one of the greatest players to ever come out of Nigeria.
Mikel arrived on the stage in the early 2000s, when he represented Nigeria at age-group competitions. He was named the second Most Valuable Player at the Under-20 World Cup in 2005, behind Lionel Messi.
The midfielder would go on to captain the senior team to Nations Cup glory in 2013.
Mikel enjoyed a stellar club career, notably with Chelsea, where he won two Premier League titles, three FA Cup crowns, the Champions League and the Europa League.
Unsurprisingly, he has also been consistently raking in the big bucks over the years.
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