Super Eagles: Where Osimhen and Lookman rank among Nigeria’s highest earners

Super Eagles stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman have both enjoyed impressive careers and have established themselves as the best Nigerian footballers in the world.

Osimhen has taken his game to another level since joining Galatasaray on an initial loan deal from Napoli in the summer of 2024. He enjoyed a remarkable debut season in Turkey, helping the club win both the league title and the domestic cup.

His performances convinced Galatasaray to make a permanent move for him in 2025, as they paid a Turkish-record €75 million to sign the Nigerian striker. 

Osimhen has carried that form into the current season, scoring six goals in his first four Turkish Super Lig appearances and has continued to reinforce his status as one of the best strikers in the world.

Lookman, meanwhile, enjoyed one of the finest moments of his career in the 2024 Europa League final. The Super Eagles forward scored a hat-trick as Atalanta defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 to win their first major European trophy.

He has since joined Atletico Madrid, where he made a good start during the second half of the season, helping the Spanish side reach the Champions League semi-finals and the Copa del Rey final.

Apart from their impressive displays for club and country, both players have also secured lucrative contracts that place them among Nigeria’s highest-paid footballers.

Afrik-Foot takes a look at where Osimhen and Lookman rank among the highest-earning Nigerian players in the world, using salary figures reported by Capology.

The highest-earning Super Eagles players in the world

1. Victor Osimhen (€18.75 million per year)

It is no surprise to see Osimhen at the top of the list. The Galatasaray striker is Nigeria’s highest-paid footballer, earning around €18.75 million per year, equivalent to around €360,577 per week.

His salary also makes him one of the highest-paid players in the Turkish Super Lig and Osimhen has continued to justify Galatasaray’s investment with his goals and performances for the club.

The Nigerian striker was also linked with a move away from the Turkish champions during the summer, with the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Barcelona among those interested in him, although he eventually ended up staying.

2. Ademola Lookman (€12.5 million per year)

Lookman comes second on the list, with his annual salary at Atletico Madrid standing at €12.5 million.

The Super Eagles forward moved to Atletico Madrid in the winter transfer window from Atalanta and has continued to prove his worth.

However, he will be keen to find his best form again after a difficult spell in front of goal. 

3. Alex Iwobi (€6.70 million per year)

Alex Iwobi occupies third place, with an annual salary of approximately €6.70 million, which also makes him the highest earning Nigerian footballer in the English Premier League.

The Fulham midfielder has become an important player for the Premier League side since joining from Everton and has also remained a key figure for the Super Eagles.

Although he does not always receive the same attention as Osimhen and Lookman, his consistency at Fulham has helped him maintain his position as one of Nigeria’s most established players in Europe.

4. George Ilenikhena (€6.12 million per year)

George Ilenikhena comes next on the list, with a salary of €6.12 million per year.

The youngster’s move to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia earlier in the year saw his earnings increase significantly from what he was earning during his time at AS Monaco. 

Ilenikhena enjoyed a superb debut for the Super Eagles, scoring in the 2-1 win over Madagascar in the AFCON 2027 qualifier last month.

5. Victor Boniface (€5.66 million per year)

Victor Boniface completes the top five, earning €5.66 million per year at Bayer Leverkusen.

The Nigerian striker has faced several fitness concerns in recent seasons and will be looking to rediscover his best form after a difficult spell.

Which other players make up the top 10?

Several other Nigerian internationals also feature among the country’s notable earners in European football.

Samuel Chukwueze earns around €5.13 million annually and comes in at sixth place in the rankings. Closely following the AC Milan star is Super Eagles teammate Raphael Onyedika, who earns around €4.91 million per year after his move to Eintracht Frankfurt during the summer transfer window from Club Brugge.

Nathan Tella is eighth on the list with an annual salary of €4.72 million at Bayer Leverkusen, while Ola Aina and Calvin Bassey complete the top 10 with their earnings at €4.26 million and €3.65 million respectively.

Osimhen and Lookman lead the rankings 

Osimhen and Lookman have established themselves at major European clubs and have also become very important figures for the Super Eagles.

Both players have also recently won the CAF Men’s Player of the Year award and are among the best African footballers in the world.

Osimhen has enjoyed a good start to the season and will be looking to return from injury against Kasimpasa this weekend and maintain the goalscoring form he showed at the start of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Lookman will hope to put his difficult spell behind him and return to his best level at Atletico Madrid as the season progresses.