- Kunle Soname was the first Nigerian to purchase a European club, C.D. Feirense
- Shola Akinlade, CEO of Paystack, owns Danish club Aarhus Fremad and Sporting Lagos FC
- Nneka Ede is the first Nigerian woman to own a European football team
A rising number of Nigerian business figures are making their mark on the world stage by owning football clubs. These individuals, hailing from various industries, have transformed their influence into leadership roles within the sport, bringing both local and international clubs under their control. Their investments range from grassroots teams in Nigeria to well-established football institutions across Europe.
7 Nigerians who own football clubs
TheRadar has compiled below seven wealthy Nigerians who own football clubs both within and outside Africa:
1. Kunle Soname
Kunle Soname, a seasoned entrepreneur and chairman of Bet9ja, became the first Nigerian to own a European football club when he acquired C.D. Feirense in 2015. His interest in football didn’t start there, he founded Remo Stars in 2004, a club now playing in Nigeria’s Premier League. Soname’s love for sports extends beyond football; he also owns ValueJet, a Nigerian airline company.
2. Shola Akinlade
Paystack co-founder and CEO Shola Akinlade expanded his empire beyond technology when he bought a majority stake (55%) in Aarhus Fremad, a Danish football team. Aarhus Fremad, which struggled financially before Akinlade’s purchase, now looks forward to climbing up to the first division. Alongside this, Akinlade launched Sporting Lagos FC, which competes in Nigeria’s National League. Aarhus Fremad has since become Sporting Lagos’ sister club. The Danish side had recorded a loss of two million kroner (approximately 89 million naira) over two years prior to his intervention.
3. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah
Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah acquired Gabros International Football Club in 2015, transforming it into F.C. Ifeanyi Ubah. Based in Nnewi, Anambra State, the club competes in Nigeria’s top division and remains one of the few privately owned football teams in the country. Ubah’s active involvement in the football club has bolstered the club’s standing within the NPFL.
4. Nneka Ede
In June 2020, Nneka Ede made history by becoming the first Nigerian woman to own a football club in Europe. She took ownership of Lusitano Ginásio Clube, a team playing in Portugal’s fourth-tier football league. With over 110 years of history, the club is based in Évora and plays at the 10,000-capacity Estádio do Lusitânia in Lourosa.
5. Dr. Daniel K. Olukoya
The General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Dr. Daniel K. Olukoya founded MFM FC in 2007. His team gained promotion to the Nigerian Premier League in 2015 and won the Church World Cup by defeating Colombia’s United Church 7-0 in the final held in India.
6. Felix Obuah
Go Round FC, founded in 1994 by Felix Obuah, has become a staple of football in Rivers State, Nigeria. The team currently competes in the Nigerian National League, with their home games held at Krisdera Hotel Stadium.
7. Bukola Saraki
In 2011, former Senate President Bukola Saraki launched ABS FC, commonly known as “Bukola Babes.” The Ilorin-based club returned to the Nigeria Professional Football League in 2016 but recently faced relegation.
NPFL Spotlight: Rangers FC secures sponsorship deal worth 200 million naira
Previously, TheRadar reported that Rangers International FC recently made a significant achievement, winning their eighth Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) title.
The deal, valued at an impressive 100,000,000 Naira per season over the next two years, represents a substantial investment in the club’s future ambitions, particularly as they prepare to compete in the CAF Champions League.
