The English Premier League is widely referred to as the greatest football league in the world due to its quality and massive global audience. With more players than any other African country, Nigeria has produced top talents that have graced the league with their goalscoring feats, producing outstanding performances to lead their teams to glory.
This list takes a look at the top 5 highest goalscoring Nigerian footballers in EPL history.
Yakubu Aiyegbeni (96 goals)
Super Eagles great Yakubu Aiyegbeni is the highest goalscoring Nigerian and fourth African highest goalscorer in English Premier League history with 96 goals coming from 252 appearances. Nicknamed’The Yak’, the ex-Nigerian striker enjoyed a hugely successful career in England, with spells across Portsmouth, Everton, Middlesbrough, Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers.
Aiyegbeni netted double figures in six of the nine Premier League seasons, including in his first four. He also remains Portsmouth highest goalscorer in the EPL after scoring 28 goals across two seasons for the club.
Kanu Nwankwo (54 goals)
‘Papilo’ ranks as the second highest goalscoring Nigerian in English Premier League history with 54 goals coming from 271 appearances. The former Ajax forward won two Premier League titles with Arsenal and was an integral part of the 2003-04 conquering side referred to as the ‘Invincibles’ for winning the league with an unbeaten record.
Nwankwo Kanu then moved to West Bromwich Albion before ending his career at Portsmouth.
Efan Efoku (53 goals)
Former Nigeria striker Efan Efoku’s tally of 53 goals places him as the third Nigerian with the most goals in English Premier League history. The England-born striker scored enjoyed successful stints with Norwich City, including scoring the club’s first-ever goal in European competition against Vitesse Arnhem in 1993.
He was inducted into the Norwich City Hall of Fame in 2012.
Shola Ameobi (43 goals)
The Newcastle United legend scored 43 goals in his EPL career to make him the fourth Nigerian with the most goals in the league’s history. The ex-Super Eagles striker enjoyed the best years of his career at the Magpies, where he scored all 43 goals.
Shola Ameobi later returned to England with Crystal Palace in the latter parts of his career, playing for just six months before he was released in June 2015.
Kelechi Iheanacho (42 goals)
The only active footballer on this list, Kelechi Iheanacho’s 42 goals ranks him the fifth highest goalscoring Nigerian in EPL history. ‘Seniorman’ first played for Manchester City, before moving to Leicester City in 2017 due to limited playing time.
The Super Eagles forward enjoyed his most prolific season in the 2020/21 campaign, scoring 12 times for the Foxes. Iheanacho left at the expiration of his contract in 2024 to join Sevilla.
