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Most Famous Nigerian Athletes

Sports 90
Nigeria 446
12,501 HO Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Olajuwon Nigerian Basket b. 1963
14,671 JO John Obi Mikel John Obi Mikel Nigerian Football b. 1987
17,418 PO Peter Odemwingie Nigerian Football b. 1981
24,747 RY Rashidi Yekini Nigerian Football 1963–2012
25,397 EE Elderson Echiéjilé Nigerian Football b. 1988
26,356 NK Nwankwo Kanu Nwankwo Kanu Nigerian Football b. 1976
27,220 SA Shola Ameobi Shola Ameobi Nigerian Football b. 1981
30,098 IU Ikechukwu Uche Ikechukwu Uche Nigerian Football b. 1984
37,578 BO Bartholomew Ogbeche Bartholomew Ogbeche Nigerian Football b. 1984
45,981 SO Sunday Oliseh Nigerian Football b. 1974
51,747 BO Blessing Okagbare Blessing Okagbare Nigerian Sprint b. 1988
55,544 NI Nosa Igiebor Nosa Igiebor Nigerian Football b. 1990
59,991 GO Godfrey Oboabona Godfrey Oboabona Nigerian Football b. 1990
64,975 SA Shehu Abdullahi Shehu Abdullahi Nigerian Football b. 1993
67,878 MB Michael Babatunde Michael Babatunde Nigerian Football b. 1993
70,034 DT Dick Tiger Dick Tiger Nigerian Boxer 1929–1971
82,256 IE Ikechukwu Ezenwa Nigerian Football b. 1988
87,567 TA Taiwo Awoniyi Taiwo Awoniyi Nigerian Football b. 1997
102,730 RA Rabiu Afolabi Rabiu Afolabi Nigerian Football b. 1980
107,125 AG Alhaji Gero Alhaji Gero Nigerian Football b. 1993
112,196 AE Azubuike Egwuekwe Azubuike Egwuekwe Nigerian Football b. 1989
112,864 DA Daniel Akpeyi Daniel Akpeyi Nigerian Football b. 1986
113,115 FU Francis Uzoho Francis Uzoho Nigerian Football b. 1998
119,718 AO Asisat Oshoala Asisat Oshoala Nigerian Football b. 1994
127,762 MO Mary Onyali-Omagbemi Mary Onyali-Omagbemi Nigerian Athletic b. 1968
139,517 GA Glory Alozie Nigerian Athletic b. 1977
159,027 TF Teslim Fatusi Nigerian Football b. 1977
161,120 CA Chigozie Agbim Nigerian Football b. 1984
166,627 OO Oludamola Osayomi Oludamola Osayomi Nigerian Sprint b. 1986
177,555 FO Francisca Ordega Nigerian Football b. 1993
178,088 AO Azubuike Okechukwu Azubuike Okechukwu Nigerian Football b. 1997
179,802 CU Cynthia Uwak Nigerian Football b. 1986
180,629 RC Rita Chikwelu Rita Chikwelu Nigerian Football b. 1988
187,998 EE Emem Eduok Nigerian Football b. 1994
192,377 BK Blessing Kaku Nigerian Football b. 1978
194,933 SO Samuel Okwaraji Nigerian Football 1964–1989
225,666 IE Isah Eliakwu Isah Eliakwu Nigerian Football b. 1985
234,300 PS Peter Suswam Peter Suswam Nigerian Football b. 1991
237,689 FY Fatima Yusuf Nigerian Athletic b. 1971
238,856 RM Ranti Martins Nigerian Football b. 1986
240,051 KO Kingsley Obiekwu Kingsley Obiekwu Nigerian Football b. 1974
255,825 GE Greg Etafia Nigerian Football b. 1982
259,916 HB Hogan Bassey Hogan Bassey Nigerian Boxer 1932–1998
311,147 SW Saul Weigopwa Nigerian Sprint b. 1984
313,791 BA Bassey Akpan Bassey Akpan Nigerian Football b. 1984
315,146 II Ike Ibeabuchi Nigerian Boxer b. 1973
316,808 SC Samuel Chukwueze Samuel Chukwueze Nigerian Football b. 1999
324,382 NE Ngozi Ebere Nigerian Football b. 1991
328,575 VC Vivian Chukwuemeka Nigerian Athletic b. 1975
344,287 ME Martins Ekwueme Martins Ekwueme Nigerian Football b. 1985
See all 152,953 rankings →

Ranked by cross-verified academic notability — how it works

By the numbers

Inside Nigeria Athletes

90 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous nigeria athletes born in each.

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births among Nigeria Athletes peaked in the 1990s with 32 people.

What Nigeria Athletes Are Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Football are Nigeria Athletes's biggest group — 72% of all notables (65).

Nigeria Athletes over-index on sprint — 83.6× the global rate.

  1. Football65
  2. Sprint9
  3. Athletic8
  4. Boxer3
  5. Basket2
  6. Badminton1
  7. Rower1
  8. Player1
  1. Sprint983.6×
  2. Athletic89.4×
  3. Football657.8×

City Hot Spots

Cities that over-produce Nigeria Athletes compared to the world average — multiplier shows how much more.