Ex-Nigerian footballers with multi-billion naira investments

NIGERIA

Sports personalities are some of the most flamboyant people in the world. With chubby weekly wages in football, footballers are now major actors in global economies with their mouth-watering investments.

In this report, our correspondent presents some ex-Nigerian footballers-turned businessmen.

Footballers tend to have a reputation for being bad at handling their money, just like the Northern Irish legend, George Best, once said: “I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.”

Four out of seven football players are declared bankrupt after retirement. There’s life after playing football and apparently some Nigeria’s ex-international footballers make hay while the sun shines by investing in business ventures to make more money or at least sustain what they amassed while playing active football in various European leagues in preparation for retirement.

Prior to the affluence being witnessed now, football was not a lucrative trade in Nigeria until the early 1990s when the likes of Late Stephen Keshi, Late Rashidi Yekini, Daniel Amokachi, Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha, Nwankwo ‘Papiloo’ Kanu and others started going overseas and changed their fortunes from amateur footballers struggling to make ends meet to professional footballers worth millions of naira.

While many ex-Nigerian players have been drowned in bankruptcy after a rewarding football career outside the country, a few others are already having their investments running into billions of naira and are now big employers of labour in the country.

While he is more known for his club and relaxation spot, CLUB 10, at the highbrow Victoria Island in Lagos, Okocha actually controls a conglomerate, named ‘Jay Jay Okocha Group West Africa Limited’ which is said to have over 250 staff on its payroll.

Our Correspondent gathered that the conglomerate is into many businesses including operation of a Bureau de Change, restaurant, bar, importation of consumer goods such as cars and wine, provision of security personnel and equipment.
Okocha’s company is also into property development, road construction, sales and distribution of electronics, and soccer players’ management.
The company which was incorporated about 13 years ago went into full operation in 2008 shortly after the former national team player retired from active football.

The once mercurial midfielder’s networth from a series of sources is estimated at $150million. He is regarded as one of the richest retired footballers. Some may think that for the fact he has retired, Okocha would suffer gross financial erosion. But he remains afloat and enjoys a comfortable and enviable life with his family.

Born in Enugu, on August 14, 1973, Okocha played for teams like Borussia Neunkirchen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce, Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers, Qatar SC, and Hull SC. He also played for the Nigeria national team, Super Eagles, from 1993 to 2006.
During his youth career, he played for the Enugu Rangers. He appeared in the FIFA World Cup with Nigeria in 1994 as well as the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

He has received nine club honours and three international honours throughout his career and was voted as Number 12 on the list of the greatest African footballers of the last half-century in 2007.

In 2003 and 2004, he was named BBC African Footballer of the Year. He had also been named in the FIFA 100. He has two children by the names of Daniella and A-Jay and has been married to his wife, Nkechi, since 1994.

Austin Okocha

The former Bolton Wanderers FC of England captain is one of the few ex-Nigerian internationals with huge investments. Having made his mark on the football pitch spanning over 20 years in top teams in Germany, France, England, Turkey and oil-rich Qatar, Okocha is now into private business where he is not only making money, but helping the youths to actualise their dreams.

While he is more known for his club and relaxation spot, CLUB 10, at the highbrow Victoria Island in Lagos, Okocha actually controls a conglomerate, named ‘Jay Jay Okocha Group West Africa Limited’ which is said to have over 250 staff on its payroll.

Our Correspondent gathered that the conglomerate is into many businesses including operation of a Bureau de Change, restaurant, bar, importation of consumer goods such as cars and wine, provision of security personnel and equipment.

Okocha’s company is also into property development, road construction, sales and distribution of electronics, and soccer players’ management.
The company which was incorporated about 13 years ago went into full operation in 2008 shortly after the former national team player retired from active football.

The once mercurial midfielder’s networth from a series of sources is estimated at $150million. He is regarded as one of the richest retired footballers. Some may think that for the fact he has retired, Okocha would suffer gross financial erosion. But he remains afloat and enjoys a comfortable and enviable life with his family.

Born in Enugu, on August 14, 1973, Okocha played for teams like Borussia Neunkirchen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Fenerbahce, Paris Saint-Germain, Bolton Wanderers, Qatar SC, and Hull SC. He also played for the Nigeria national team, Super Eagles, from 1993 to 2006.

During his youth career, he played for the Enugu Rangers. He appeared in the FIFA World Cup with Nigeria in 1994 as well as the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He has received nine club honours and three international honours throughout his career and was voted as Number 12 on the list of the greatest African footballers of the last half-century in 2007.

In 2003 and 2004, he was named BBC African Footballer of the Year. He had also been named in the FIFA 100. He has two children by the names of Daniella and A-Jay and has been married to his wife, Nkechi, since 1994.

Kanu Nwankwo

Kanu popularly known as ‘Papilo’ has made alot of money in football, after playing for top clubs like Ajax FC, Inter Milan, Arsenal, West Brom, and Portsmouth FC, where he finally retired from active club football.
King Kanu earned as much as £30,000 weekly at Championship side Portsmouth before the club had financial problems.

The gangling former Super Eagles forward since his retirement, has started a couple of businesses which mostly circle around real estates in Owerri, Lagos, Abuja, Dubai and London. He also owns a few luxury cars including a Ferrari, Mercedes Benz, and Audi.

However, one could say his biggest asset is the Hardley Apartments, a 5-star hotel located in Victoria Island, Lago. It is one of the biggest hotels in Victoria Island.

The hotel and nightclub cost the former African Footballer of the Year about N600million to establish about 10 years ago. Kanu is also said to own a photo-shop on the popular Allen Avenue in Lagos and three other mansions in Park View Estate in highbrow Ikoyi.

The two-time African Footballer of the Year Award winner has also invested in a bottled water company and the Kanu Heart Foundation, a charity organisation where he gives back to the society. His estimated asset and cash is about $100million.

Kanu Nwankwo’s career began at a Nigerian league club, Iwuanyanwu Nationale, now known as Heartland FC of Owerri. Later, he played for Dutch side Ajax, Inter Milan of Italy, and English club sides like Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth.

He is one of few players to have won the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, UEFA Cup and an Olympic Gold Medal. He made the third-most substitute appearances in Premier League history, appearing from the bench 118 times, and is regarded as one of the best players in African football history and won two African Player of the Year awards.

He is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and African Brand Ambassador for digital TV operator, StarTimes. He is also the owner of Kanu Sports TV, an online sports television.

Kanu is happily married and blessed with three children – two sons, Sean Chukwudi Kanu and Iyang Onyekachi Kanu, and one daughter, Pinky Amarachi Kanu. One of his sons, Sean, seems to have taken after his father.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni

Next on the line of ex-Nigerian footballers who invest his money to avert starvation and remain afloat in retirement is Aiyegbeni.
Aiyegbeni also known as ‘The Yak’ is not left out of the investment-driven clique and he is still widely regarded as the most successful Nigerian footballer to have played in England.

The Yak’ owns a mansion on Manchester Road, London; a duplex in VGC, Lagos; two massive buildings in Benin City; and hotels in his native Auchi, Edo State.
The former Middleborough forward has also diversified into the oil business and owns a number of petrol stations in Benin City. His younger brother, Momo Aiyegbeni, is overseeing his business concerns on his behalf.
In his garage back home in Nigeria is a fleet of cars including a Range Rover and a BMW.
It can be difficult, if not impossible, to accurately calculate the amount of wealth that a footballer possesses, but the former Everton striker has taken the upside of his long football spell in Europe to accumulate lavish riches which presently gives him a total assets of about $14.5million.

Joseph Yobo

After many years of playing for top European clubs and representing Nigeria at the international level, Joseph Yobo has good records to show for his efforts, including a befitting wealth status.

The former Super Eagles captain has a large chunk of his investments in real estate. He has properties in many parts of the country including Abuja and Port Harcourt. He also has houses in highbrow Lekki Phase 1 and 2 areas of Lagos. He equally owns another one at NICON Estate also on Lagos Island.

Yobo has also acquired properties in Central London and Liverpool both in England. He has also invested in a football academy in the Ogoni area of Rivers State and in Lagos as well.

Reports have it that he is set to go into full-time players’ management aside his current appointment as Super Eagles assistant coach.
The former centre back, who also has stakes in banks and top oil companies, is estimated to have a networth of $35 million.

Yobo played for Marseille in France, Everton of England and Fenerbahce of Turkey and he could be described as one of the richest Nigerian players of his generation.

John Utaka

Apart from Lagos and France, the former Super Eagles forward has the majority of his wealth concentrated in Enugu and he jointly owns a football academy with Austin Ejide.
The former Lens and Lille of France striker has also gone into acting and he once said he was ready to make huge investments in film making.