In recent years, Nigerian star players have left their imprint on the Bundesliga, with Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella being the latest additions.
Austin Okocha
Team: Eintracht Frankfurt
Position: Attacking Midfielder
During: 1992-1996
The inaugural Nigerian player to grace the Bundesliga was undoubtedly one of the country’s most exceptional talents.
Okocha arrived in Germany in 1990 as a relatively obscure figure, but his mesmerizing skills swiftly captivated fans and adversaries alike. Initially, he began his Bundesliga journey at Borussia Neunkirchen before transferring to Eintracht Frankfurt in 1992, where he later scored one of the Bundesliga’s most memorable goals.
Against Karlsruhe in August 1993, the attacking midfielder found himself with the ball on a breakaway and proceeded to outmaneuver none other than legendary goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. Okocha, displaying his Nigerian flair, deftly maneuvered past Kahn, leaving the current Bayern CEO bewildered, along with a couple of defenders, with a series of feints. This sensational effort was voted Germany’s Goal of The Year for 1993. Okocha netted a total of 18 goals, along with 13 assists, in 90 appearances for Eintracht before departing for Fenerbahce in 1996. Throughout his career, the former Bolton and Paris Saint-Germain player secured victories in both the Africa Cup of Nations and the Olympic Games.
Jonathan Akpoborie
Clubs: Hansa Rostock, VfB Stuttgart, Wolfsburg
Position: Striker
When: 1996-97 (Hansa), 1997-99 (Stuttgart), 1999-2001 (Wolfsburg)
Lagos-born Akpoborie was already in Germany by the time Okocha arrived, albeit he was playing in the lower leagues. He had stints at Saarbrücken, Carl Zeiss Jena, and Stuttgarter Kickers, among others.
However, his performance of nine goals in 18 Bundesliga 2 appearances for Waldhof Mannheim in the first half of the 1995/96 season caught the attention of top-flight side Hansa Rostock, who signed him in January 1996.
The 12-time Nigeria international recorded six goals and two assists in his first 16 league games for Hansa, including the opening goal in a 3-1 victory away to Okocha’s Frankfurt in April 1996, contributing to their sixth-placed finish that season. Akpoborie, known for his powerful and hard-running style as a center forward, followed this up with 15 goals and five assists in 31 Bundesliga games the following campaign, earning him a transfer to Stuttgart in the summer of 1997.
Continuing his goal-scoring prowess, he scored 21 goals in 58 league appearances over two years for VfB, and 19 goals in 39 games across two subsequent seasons for Wolfsburg. Although he wrapped up his career with a final season in Bundesliga 2 with Saarbrücken, Akpoborie still holds the record as Nigeria’s highest scorer and appearance maker in the Bundesliga, with 60 goals in 144 outings.
Victor Agali
Clubs: Hansa Rostock, Schalke
Position: Striker
When: 1998-2001, 2007-08 (Rostock), 2001-04 (Schalke)
After witnessing the success of a prolific Nigerian striker in Akpoborie, Hansa responded to his departure by signing Agali a year later. At just 20 years old, the Okpanam native showcased his talent by scoring six goals and providing four assists in 22 top-flight appearances in his debut season.
With a commanding 6’4” stature, Agali proved to be the perfect target man, adept at holding up the ball to involve his teammates. He added eleven more goals over 44 appearances in the following two seasons, along with two goals on his debut for Nigeria in a 3-0 World Cup qualifying win against Sudan in January 2001.
His impressive performances caught the attention of Schalke, who secured his services that summer. Agali amassed a total of fourteen goals in 54 Bundesliga matches over the next three seasons before departing for Nice in France in the summer of 2004, following Nigeria’s bronze medal win at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier that year.
Following Akpoborie, Agali stands as the second-highest Nigerian appearance maker in the Bundesliga with 143 appearances and the second-highest scorer with 32 goals.
Sunday Oliseh
Clubs: Cologne, Dortmund, Bochum
Position: Defensive midfield
When: 1995-97 (Cologne), 2000-04 (Dortmund), 03-04 (Bochum)
Oliseh, one of the most prominent figures in Nigerian football history, also left his mark in Germany over several years. The defensive midfielder arrived in Cologne at the age of 21 in 1995 and made 24 appearances, contributing to the team’s 12th-place finish in his debut season.
Following his gold medal win at the 1996 Olympic Games, where he played alongside Okocha, Oliseh solidified his position in the Cologne squad, registering four goals and four assists in 30 appearances.
His performances caught the attention of major European clubs, but after spending three years at Ajax and Juventus, Oliseh returned to Germany with Dortmund in 2000.
Standing at 6’0” tall, Oliseh spent a total of four years with Dortmund, although his final season was on loan at Bochum.
Obafemi Martins
Club: Wolfsburg
Position: Striker
When: July 2009 – July 2010
Martins emerged as a teenage sensation with Inter Milan during the 2002/03 season, showcasing explosive pace, a strong physique, and precise finishing that elevated him as one of the most promising talents in football at that time.
After his stint with Newcastle United in England, Martins joined Wolfsburg in the summer of 2009, brought in to provide competition for Edin Dzeko and Grafite, who had recently led the team to the Bundesliga title.
“His quality allows him to enter the team at any given moment,” stated newly appointed Wolfsburg coach Armin Veh at the time.
Martins validated Veh’s statement by scoring on his debut as a substitute, securing a 3-1 win against Cologne. He continued his scoring streak the following week with another goal in a 4-2 loss to Hamburg. By the end of October 2009, he had accumulated five goals in his first nine league appearances.
However, Martins encountered injury troubles thereafter, struggling to regain his form. He only managed to score once more for the remainder of the season before departing for Rubin Kazan in Russia in the summer of 2010. Despite his brief tenure in Germany, Martins left a lasting impression at the Volkswagen Arena, particularly with his trademark somersault celebrations, and is remembered as one of the most naturally gifted players to have graced the club.
Anthony Ujah
Clubs: Mainz, Cologne, Werder Bremen, Union Berlin
Position: Striker
When: 2011-13, 2018-19 (Mainz), 2013-15 (Cologne), 2015-16 (Bremen), 2019-2022 (Union)
Now 33 years old, Ujah spent a significant portion of his career in Germany. Following his impressive performances at Norwegian club Lilleström, Mainz secured his services in 2011. Known for his diligent work ethic as a center forward, Ujah excels in various essential aspects of the game, such as ball retention, defensive pressing, and creating space with his runs.
Despite his contributions off the ball, Ujah also demonstrated his prowess in front of goal, which led to interest from several Bundesliga clubs. After registering two goals in 12 appearances for Mainz in his debut season, the Benue State native truly showcased his abilities during the 2014/15 season, scoring 10 goals in 32 games for Cologne, followed by 11 goals in 32 appearances the next season for Bremen.
During this time, Ujah earned recognition as a full Nigeria international, earning his debut cap in 2013. However, his involvement with the national team ceased after making his last of seven appearances in a friendly against Niger in September 2015.
After spending two years in China, he made a return to the Bundesliga with Mainz in 2018, subsequently transferring to Union Berlin a year later. Despite not being a primary striker, largely due to the emergence of Taiwo Awoniyi, he managed to score three goals in 24 matches during the 2019/20 season. With a total of 30 goals, he stands as the third-highest scoring Nigerian player in Bundesliga history.
Pascal Ojigwe
Clubs: Kaiserslautern, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Mönchengladbach
Position: Defensive midfield
When: 1995-2000 (Kaiserslautern), 2000-03 (Leverkusen), 2003-04 (Gladbach)
Ojigwe, though perhaps not as widely recognized as some of his counterparts on this list, deserves commendation for his contributions.
Hailing from Aba, Nigeria, Ojigwe relocated to Germany during his teenage years and joined Kaiserslautern in 1995. While it took him some time to acclimate to German football, he made his Bundesliga debut in the 1997/98 season against 1860 Munich, marking the beginning of a career that spanned 42 top-flight appearances in total.
A tenacious and relentless presence on the field, Ojigwe made the move to Leverkusen in the summer of 2000. He was part of the squad that clinched three runners-up medals that season, having reached the finals of the DFB and UEFA Champions League, as well as finishing second in the league.
During his career, Ojigwe earned seven international caps for the Super Eagles and contributed to the team’s third-place finish at the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations. He eventually retired from professional football in 2007 at the age of 31.
Taiwo Awoniyi
Clubs: Mainz, Union Berlin
Position: Striker
When: 2019-20 (Mainz), 2020-2022 (Union)
Having joined Liverpool at the age of 17 in 2015, Awoniyi embarked on loan spells with seven different clubs, including Mainz and Union Berlin, before securing a permanent move to the latter in the summer of 2021.
If there were ever doubts about his scoring prowess, the striker unequivocally dispelled them during the 2021/22 season, emerging as the club’s all-time top scorer in the Bundesliga with a total of 21 goals and propelling the team to as high as fourth place in the table.
Victor Boniface
Club: Bayer Leverkusen
Position: Striker
When: July 2023 to present
Boniface arrived at the Bay Arena last July with a stellar reputation, having finished as joint top scorer in the 2022/23 Europa League alongside Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, tallying six goals for Belgian outfit Union Saint-Gilloise. Prior to this, he had also clinched the Norwegian Eliteserien title in 2020 and 2021 with Bodø/Glimt.
Hailing from Akure, the striker, who kickstarted his career at Real Sapphire, a youth team based in Lagos, lived up to the hype. He played a pivotal role in Leverkusen’s historic German Bundesliga triumph, contributing 20 goals (11 goals and 9 assists), marking their first-ever title win in their 120-year history. Overall, he boasts 18 league goals, along with five in the Europa League and two in the DFB Pokal, as the undefeated German champions set their sights on a dream treble this season.
Nathan Tella
Club: Bayer Leverkusen
Position: Midfielder
When: August 2023 to present
Hailing from England with Nigerian heritage, midfielder Tella made the switch to Leverkusen for £20m in August 2023, following a successful loan spell at Burnley from Southampton, where he played a key role in securing promotion to the English topflight.
A product of the Arsenal academy, Tella’s versatility allows him to excel not only in midfield but also on the right wing. He has made a notable contribution of 11 goals and four assists from 34 appearances in all competitions this season. With aspirations to expand his trophy collection, including the Europa League and DFB Pokal, the young talent is eager to add to his achievements as a Bundesliga champion.
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