Nigerian Billionaires Who Own Football Clubs in Europe

Get to know the Nigerian billionaires who own football clubs in Europe. These business leaders have taken their success to the sports world, owning teams in countries like Portugal and Denmark.

 This article introduces you to these powerful people and the clubs they run.

Shola Akinlade

Shola a 38-year-old Nigerian software engineer and the CEO of Paystack, a prominent financial technology company, has made significant strides both in business and sports. Paystack, which Akinlade heads, was successfully acquired by Stripe for $200 million in 2020, marking a notable achievement in the fintech sector. Beyond his technological ventures, Akinlade owns two football clubs: Aarhus Fremad in Denmark and Sporting Lagos in Nigeria, showcasing his diverse interests and investments.

Kunle Soname 

Kunle is another Nigerian making headlines in the sports world. In 2015, Soname became the first Nigerian to own a European football club when he purchased CD Feirense, a team competing in LigaPro, the second tier of Portuguese football. As the primary shareholder, Soname has been instrumental in guiding the club, which plays its home games at the Estádio Marcolino de Castro, a stadium with a capacity of approximately 5,500 seats.

Nneka Ede

Nneka stands out as the sole woman on this list of Nigerian entrepreneurs with stakes in European football. In June 2020, Ede acquired Lusitano Ginasio FC, a club based in Evora that competes in the Campeonato de Portugal, the fourth tier of the Portuguese football system.