By Aaior K. Comfort

Several Nigerians have made their mark in European football by owning clubs across various leagues. Here’s a look at some prominent figures:

1. *Kunle Soname* (C.D. Feirense, Portugal; Remo Stars, Nigeria)
Kunle Soname is a politician, entrepreneur, and sports enthusiast, known for founding Bet9ja in 2013. He became the owner of the Portuguese club C.D. Feirense in 2015. In addition, Soname established Remo Stars Football Club in 2004, originally known as FC DENDER. The club was relocated from Lagos State to Remo in Ogun State and now competes in Nigeria’s Premier League. He also founded ValueJet, a private Nigerian airline.

2. *Shola Akinlade* (Aarhus Fremad, Denmark; Sporting Lagos FC, Nigeria)
Shola Akinlade, co-founder and CEO of Paystack (now part of Stripe), owns the Danish club Aarhus Fremad and Sporting Lagos FC. He acquired a 55 percent stake in Aarhus Fremad, making him the majority owner of the club, which plays in Denmark’s second division. His investment came at a time when the club was facing financial challenges, and they are currently in contention for promotion to the first division. In 2022, he also founded Sporting Lagos FC, which competes in the Nigeria National League.

3. *Dorothy Nneka Ede* (Lusitano Ginásio Clube, Portugal)
Dorothy Ede is notable for being the first Nigerian woman to acquire a football club in Europe. She owns Lusitano Ginásio Clube, commonly known as Lusitano de Évora, which competes in Portugal’s fourth-tier league, the Campeonato de Portugal. Ede’s ownership began in June 2020, and the club, established over 110 years ago, plays its home matches at the Estádio do Lusitânia in Lourosa, which has a capacity of 10,000.

These individuals represent a growing trend of Nigerian ownership in European football, showcasing the country’s commitment to sports development both domestically and abroad.