Who is Nigeria’s all-time highest goal scorer? – Osimhen’s rank among top 10 Super Eagles strikers

Nigeria’s all-time highest goal scorer list could have a new look in the coming weeks, but getting in is a pinnacle aspiration for virtually every Nigerian striker, a feat that has historically proven elusive for many. 

The Super Eagles‘ rich heritage is replete with tales of exceptional forwards, the latest being Victor Osimhen, whose goalscoring in international colours shows no signs whatsoever of slowing down. 

This exploration aims to reveal the identity of Nigeria’s foremost goal scorer while also presenting a comprehensive list of the top ten Super Eagles goal scorers in the annals of the nation’s football history.

So, let us embark on this journey without further delay.

Who is Nigeria’s all-time highest goal scorer?

The Super Eagles have had their fair share of talented marksmen who changed the course of the game in their active years. Fans can follow these stars and even bet on their performances with exclusive offers like the 1xbet promo code.

The most iconic footballers of the national team may not have scored as many goals as their counterparts elsewhere in Africa and around the world, but the place of Rashidi Yekini as Nigeria’s all-time highest goal scorer has lasted since he retired in 1998.

The prolific former Shooting Stars forward scored 37 goals in 62 matches for Nigeria at an impressive rate of 0.60 goals per game to become the Super Eagles’ top scorer in past and present history.

Yekini set the bar so high that, as of September 2026, his goal-scoring record has stood for more than 27 years and remains the number every current Nigerian striker aspires to match.

Top 10 Super Eagles top scorers in history

Being a Super Eagle is a dream for many young and aspiring footballers who have watched most of the iconic legends of Nigerian football doing their thing many years ago.

In the attacking department, some players have distinguished themselves as goal-getters, etching their names on the list of Nigeria’s all-time top scorers.

With this in mind, here is the list of the top 10 Super Eagles top scorers in history:

1. Rashidi Yekini – 37 goals

The leading Super Eagles top scorer in history is Rashidi Yekini with 37 goals to his name.

Yekini, of blessed memory, was a part of the Super Eagles from 1984 to 1998.

He helped Nigeria to win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), scoring five goals in that tournament and winning the Golden Boot.

Before AFCON 1994, Yekini was named African Footballer of the Year in 1993 (the first Nigerian to win the award) and was inducted into the Nigerian Sports Hall of Fame for his contribution and achievement to the growth and glory of Nigerian football.

2. Victor Osimhen – 35 goals

Victor Osimhen has etched his name into Nigerian football legend by dislodging Segun Odegbami and rising to second place.

The Galatasaray man netted his 35th international goal in Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Algeria in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-final in Marrakech, Morocco.

Osimhen’s tally of 35 goals in 52 caps since his 2017 debut leaves him just two shy of Rashidi Yekini’s record of 37.

The 27-year-old was on course to break it during the 2025 AFCON semi-final and third-place fixtures, but that didn’t happen, and his muscle strain at Galatasaray has now delayed his record-chasing bid until at least November 2026.

3. Segun Odegbami – 23 goals

Retired Nigeria international Segun Odegbami was well known during his time with the Super Eagles team. He ranks third in the all-time highest goal-scorers list, having been overtaken by Victor Osimhen during Nigeria’s March 2025 World Cup qualifier against Rwanda

Odegbami was capped 46 times in the national team and scored 23 goals, a big number to achieve internationally for any footballer in his day.

He began his football career in the domestic scene with Shooting Stars FC of Ibadan, and spent his entire professional career with them.

While at the club, Odegbami won the 1976 African Cup Winners’ Cup and was an integral member of Nigeria’s golden generation that set the pace for international recognition.

He starred in Otto Gloria’s 1980 Africa Cup of Nations triumphant squad, the side that won Nigeria’s first AFCON title.

Odegbami retired from football in 1984. As of 2026, he is still alive and well, with his name etched in the annals of Nigeria’s football history.

4. Yakubu Ayegbeni – 21 goals

Yakubu Ayegbeni was Nigeria’s third top scorer for years before Osimhen surpassed him during the 2024 AFCON campaign. The Yak now ranks fourth on the all-time list, one place behind Segun Odegbami

He began his professional football career with Nigerian side Julius Berger in 1997 before securing a move to Maccabi Haifa (Israel) in 1998.

Yakubu went on to play for several other clubs in England, including the likes of Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton, Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers.

Internationally, Yakubu represented Nigeria’s Super Eagles on 57 occasions, and found the back of the net 21 times.

‘The Yak’ was part of the Lars Lagerback Nigeria squad that competed at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the tournament that ended his Super Eagles career, because why? Wait for it…

The player who missed an open net from a defence-splitting pass from Ayila Yusuf against South Korea was none other than Yakubu Ayegbeni. The Eagles crashed out in the group stage, and many Nigerians haven’t forgiven Ayegbeni ever since because of that miss.

5. Ikechukwu Uche – 19 goals

Ikechukwu Uche (MON) is a former Nigerian footballer who played as a striker for the Super Eagles.

Uche spent most of his football career in Spain. He played for a couple of top teams like Getafe, Real Zaragoza, Villarreal, and Malaga.

Internationally, he was particularly successful in scoring during qualifying rounds of the Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cup.

The 2013 AFCON winner bagged five goals in the World Cup qualifiers, and seven in AFCON qualifiers and retired with 19 goals in 46 games for Nigeria to clinch fifth in the all-time goal scorers list.

6. Obafemi Martins – 18 goals

Obafemi ‘Obagoal’ Martins made his debut for Nigeria in 2004 at the age of 19, in 2004 where he scored a goal in the Tri-Nations Unity Cup tournament in London.

Martins was a part of the Nigeria squad that finished third at the 2006 African Cup of Nations. He netted twice in the competition, both coming against Senegal in the group phase.

Obagoal was an instant sensation at Newcastle shortly after leaving Inter Milan in 2006, and he represented Nigeria in several tournaments, including the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where the Eagles crashed out in the Round of 16.

After a successful career in Europe, Martins retired in 2021 with 18 goals for his country in 48 matches.

7. Sunday Oyarekhua – 17 goals

Sunday Oyarekhua, of blessed memory, is one of the legendary Nigerian players who wasn’t so popular. We’re certain that most Nigerian fans haven’t heard about him. Nonetheless, he was a prolific goal-scorer during his active years for Nigeria.

Discovered by the national team’s coaches while playing for the Police F.C. in Lagos, he scored on his debut, a friendly match against Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) in 1971.

He was the leading top scorer during the 1973 All-Africa Games, which Nigeria won, and he played for Nigeria at the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ethiopia.

Between 1971 and 1976, he scored 17 goals in 28 appearances. Oyarekhua passed away in 2021.

8. Ahmed Musa – 16 goals

Coming in eighth place in our top 10 Super Eagles highest goal scorers in history is Ahmed Musa.

It’s worth mentioning that Musa is the most-capped Super Eagles player in history with 111 matches under his belt.

He burst onto the international scene as a striker for Kano Pillars in 2010 when Lars Lagerback invited the Jos-born forward to the Super Eagles FIFA World Cup squad of 2010.

Since his debut for the Super Eagles, Musa went on to win an AFCON title in 2013 with Nigeria.

Not only that, he etched his name in the history of Nigeria’s national football team when he became the first Nigerian to score more than once in a FIFA World Cup match after scoring twice against Argentina in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Musa also became the first Nigerian to score in two FIFA World Cup competitions after scoring twice against Iceland in the group stage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

As of 2026, the former CSKA Moscow player has 16 goals for Nigeria in 111 appearances, becoming the most capped player since November 2021.
Alex Iwobi (100) and Moses Simon (98) will be looking to break Musa’s record.

9. Odion Ighalo – 16 goals

Now a free agent, Odion Ighalo is one of three Super Eagles players tied on 16 goals for Nigeria. But he has done so in just 37 appearances.

Following strong performances for Watford in England, then-Nigeria interim coach Daniel Amokachi invited Ighalo to the national team in 2015, and he made his debut in a 1-0 friendly home defeat to Uganda.

Ighalo netted seven goals in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign, the most by any player at the time, to help Nigeria qualify for the finals in Egypt later that year.

He was included in Gernot Rohr’s 2019 AFCON squad, taking part in all the matches and finding the net on five occasions to become the edition’s top scorer.

At the end of the competition, Ighalo announced his retirement from international football, though he briefly returned for a few games during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

10. Samson Siasia – 16 goals

Samson Siasia is popular as a former Super Eagles coach. However, he had a successful playing career for the national team and makes the top 10 list of Super Eagles all-time top scorers.

The Lagos-born former footballer found the back of the net 16 times in 51 appearances for the Super Eagles. This period lasted between 1984 and 1999 before his retirement.

Siasia was part of the team that participated in the 1994 FIFA World Cup and won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations. He was also a member of the Nigeria team that won bronze at the 1992 AFCON in Senegal.

Frequently Asked Questions about Nigeria’s goal scorers

Who is Nigeria’s all-time highest goal scorer? The all-time highest goal scorer for Nigeria is Rashidi Yekini with 37 goals.

Who is the Nigerian striker with the most AFCON goals? Rashidi Yekini is Nigeria’s striker with the most AFCON goals. He has 13 to his name.

Who ranks second in Super Eagles’ top scorers list? Victor Osimhen holds the second spot in the Super Eagles’ top scorers list with 35 goals to his name, having overtaken Segun Odegbami (23 goals) during the March 2025 World Cup qualifier against Rwanda.

Which Super Eagles player recorded the highest number of goals in an AFCON qualifying campaign? Victor Osimhen scored 10 goals during the 2023 AFCON qualifiers to become the highest-scoring player for Nigeria in a single AFCON qualifying campaign.

Is Victor Osimhen likely to break Rashidi Yekini’s record? Osimhen sits just two goals shy of Yekini’s 37-goal record, and his current scoring rate (0.67 goals per game across 52 caps) suggests he is on course to break it, though a September 2026 muscle injury has delayed his next opportunity.