Five Nigerians who own football clubs in Nigeria

Some local football fans on Wednesday, September 26 urged the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, to invest in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).

This comes after the billionaire business mogul told Bloomberg’s Francine Lacqua that he regretted not buying English Premier League side, Arsenal Football club, when his interest lies in owning a football club.

Dangote had in 2020, shown interest in buying the North London Club, when the club was still valued at $2 billion but he however committed himself in completing his refinery in Lekki, in Nigeria.

However, there are some Nigerian business owners who have invested in football in Nigeria, as it is becoming a very lucrative business.

Read Also: FULL LIST: FG lists eight accredited universities in Togo, Benin

Today, Newsaccessng has details five Nigerians who own football clubs in Nigeria.

Here is a list of Five Nigerians who own football clubs in Nigeria:

1. Kunle Soname (Remo Stars)

Kunle Soname is a Nigerian entrepreneur, sport enthusiast and the chairman of Bet9ja, a betting website he founded in 2013.

In 2004, he founded Remo Stars Football Club previously known as FC DENDER.

After Soname acquired Remo Stars, he relocated the club from Lagos State to Remo area of Ogun State, and is now playing in the Nigerian Premier League’s Top Division.

In 2015, he acquired European Football Club, C.D. Feirense that is in Portugal.

Soname also the founder of the popular Nigerian airline ValueJet.

2. Shola Akinlade (Sporting Lagos FC)

Shola Akinlade, the co-founder and CEO of Paystack (now Stripe), is the owner of Sporting Lagos FC.

Akinlade is also the owner of Aarhus Fremad in Denmark.

The 39-year-old bought a 55 percent stake in the 76-year-old Danish club, which plays in the second-division of the Danish League, making him the majority owner.

The club are second of the Danish second division with 16 points, with the hope of securing qualification to the Danish first division next season.

In 2022, Shola founded Sporting Lagos FC, a Lagos-based football club that competes in the Nigeria National League.

The purchase of Aarhus means that the Danish club will become a sister club to Sporting Lagos.

3. Late Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah (F.C. Ifeanyi Ubah)

In 2015, late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, founded the NPFL club “Ifeanyi Ubah FC” in the year

The club which has its headquarters at Nnewi, Anambra State, was established following the acquisition of Gabros international Football Club by the late senator.

F.C. Ifeanyi Ubah is one of the few privately run football clubs in the country.

4. Felix Obuah (Go Round FC)

Felix Obuah is the founder of Nigerian football club Go Round FC, which is located in Rivers State, Nigeria.

It was founded in 1994.

They play their home games at Krisdera Hotel Stadium, and currently compete in the NNL, the second-tier in Nigerian football.

5. Bukola Saraki (ABS FC, Kwara)

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki Founded the football club known as ABS FC, which is located in Ilorin in 2011.

The team is also known as “Bukola Babes.”

In 2016, the team returned to the Nigeria Professional Football League.

Recently, the team was relegated from the Nigeria National League(NNL) to Nationwide League One(NLO).