Ligue 1 stands as the highest level of professional football in France and has long served as a platform for many young African players to develop their careers before eventually moving to some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
These players have turned in impressive performances for their club, which has in turn earned them very lucrative deals and boosted their salaries.
Below is a look at the African stars who currently earn the most in the French Ligue 1.
Achraf Hakimi (€384,615 per week)
It comes as little surprise that reigning African footballer of the year Achraf Hakimi tops the list as the highest earning African footballer in the French league.
The Moroccan captain signed a new long-term contract extension with Paris Saint-Germain in 2025, significantly increasing his earnings. He now reportedly earns about €262,308 per week in base salary and an additional €122,307 weekly bonuses, bringing his total weekly earnings to around €384,615 and his annual earnings to almost €20 million.
The 27-year-old is also the highest-paid fullback in world football and is the third-highest paid player in the entire league, behind his Paris Saint-Germain teammates, Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskelia.
Moussa Niakhate (€130,962 p/w)
Senegalese defender Moussa Niakhate takes home a base salary of around €104,808 per week, along with €26,154 in bonuses, taking his total weekly income to €130,962. The former French youth international moved to Olympique Lyon from Premier League side Nottingham Forest in 2024 and has become a very important member of their squad.
The 30-year-old played a crucial role in Senegal’s triumph at the 2025 African Cup of Nations tournament, featuring in every minute of six matches at the tournament held in Morocco.
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Nayef Aguerd (€118,077 p/w)
Nayef Aguerd is the second Moroccan player to appear on this list and is ranked third behind compatriot Hakimi and Senegal’s Niakhate, with a total weekly income of about €118,077.
The experienced defender joined Olympique Marseille last summer for a fee of about €23 million and takes home about €6.14 million per year at the French club, which includes a base salary of €4.9 million and an additional €1.23 million in bonuses.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (€109,423 p/w)
Gabon captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang earns around €109,423 per week, bringing his annual income to around €5.7 million since returning to Marseille for a second stint last summer.
The former Arsenal forward has enjoyed an impressive campaign so far as the Olympians chase a Champions League spot in the league, scoring eight times from 22 matches in the Ligue 1 this season.
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Amine Gouiri (€109,423 p/w)
Algerian forward Amine Gouiri is the third player from Olympique Marseille to feature on this list and completes the ranking with a total earning of €109, 423 per week. The attacker earns a base salary of €87,500 per week, along with weekly bonuses of €21,923.
Gouiri joined Marseille from league rivals Rennes in January 2025 and scored 10 times in 14 appearances during the 2024-25 season.
He has carried that form into this season, scoring eight times across all competitions including five in the Ligue 1.
