Africa is a rich continent teeming with vast resources. Several Africans of incredible talent and skill grace the world stage in various categories of sports. Football is currently the most popular sport known all over the world. It unites different countries and continents together. The world governing body of football is FIFA which means Federation of International Football Association, while the governing body of football in Africa is known as CAF which means Confederation of African Football.
The African Footballer of the Year Award is presented to the best African footballer each year and has been conferred by the Confederation of African Football since 1992. The athletes making the list of Top 10 wealthiest African footballers have had prestigious professional football careers playing for top football clubs.
Although most of the players have retired from active on-field playing, they are now developing the sport and coaching new talent back home. So who is the richest footballer in Africa in 2022? Africa has produced the highest number of stars and we can all agree that they have represented the continent extremely well. So therefore, after a careful study and research I present to you the top 10 most richest footballers in Africa in 2022 and their net worth.
10. Sulley Muntari 
Sulley Muntari is a famous Ghanaian professional and international footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Spanish club Albacete and his country Ghana national team. During his time with Internazionale, he helped the team to win the Champions League in 2009–2010 and the Serie A title in 2008–2009 and 2009–2010. He was born on 27th August 1984 in Konongo, Ghana. He is currently 37 years old.
He was also part of the Portsmouth team that won the FA Cup in 2007-2008. He is a fulltime international player for Ghana since 2002. He has earned over 80 caps for the national team and has been selected for two Africa Cup of nations tournaments and three FIFA World Cups. Sulley Muntari abilities first came to light in youth tournaments, while he was playing for Liberty Professionals youth team.
He became a regular member of Ghana Under-20 team at the age of 16 years old as they finished runners-up at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina, losing out to the hosts in the final. Sulley Muntari is very wealthy and currently number 10 on our list of top 10 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $65 million.
9. Kolo Toure 
Kolo Toure is an Ivorian football coach and former footballer. He played as a defender for Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Celtic and the Ivory Coast national team. He is currently a first team coach at Leicester City as well as a member of the coaching staff for Ivory Coast. He was born on 19th March 1981 in Bouake, Cote d’Ivoire.
He is currently 40 years old. In 2002, Kolo Touré was signed to Arsenal, where he made 326 appearances for the club. In 2009, he moved to Manchester City, where he was joined a year later by his younger brother Yaya Toure, and helped Man City to earn its first league title in 44 years. In 2013, Kolo Touré was transferred to Liverpool.
Kolo Touré is the second most capped player for Ivory Coast with 120 appearances from 2000 to 2015. He represented the team at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup tournaments. Kolo Toure is very wealthy and currently number 9 on our list of top 10 most richest footballers in Africa in 2022 with an estimated net worth of $75 million.
8. Michael Essien 
Michael Essien is a famous Ghanaian professional footballer who played for English club Chelsea as an attacking midfielder. Michael Essien started his career playing for Liberty Professionals in Ghana before moving to England. He was born on 3rd December 1982 in Accra, Ghana. He is currently 39 years old. In 2005, Michael Essien signed a contract deal with Premier League club Chelsea for a £24.4 million transfer fee.
While in Chelsea, he helped the club to win the Premier Leagues in 2006 and 2010, as well as three FA Cups and one League Cup. Michael Essien represented his country Ghana at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship, with the team finishing as runner-up. Michael Essien made his senior team debut in January 2002 and has represented his nation at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
He has also represented his country Ghana at the 2006 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. Michael Essien is physically strong due to his powerful and tough tackling skills. Michael Essien is very wealthy and currently number 8 on our list of top 10 most richest footballers in Africa in 2022 with an estimated net worth of $86 million.
7. Emmanuel Adebayor 
Emmanuel Adebayor is a famous Togolese professional and international football player, who played as a forward striker for his country Togo national team and a former forward striker for English Premier League club Arsenal. He was born on 26th February 1984 in the city of Lome, Togo to Nigerian parents of Yoruba descent. He is currently 38 years old. Emmanuel Adebayor was born and raised in Togo.
He attended Sports Development Centre of Lomé in Togo also known as Sporting Club de Lomé. Emmanuel Adebayor was spotted playing for Sporting Club de Lomé by scouts from Metz, who brought him to France in 1999. On 17th November 2001, he made his Ligue 1 debut against Sochaux. Following Metz’s relegation, he played a season in Ligue 2, where he scored 13 goals in 34 league matches and which prompted his summer move to Monaco in 2003.
In Arsenal he was regarded as one of the best goal scorer in English Premier League. Emmanuel Adebayor is very wealthy and currently number 7 on our list of top 10 most richest footballers in Africa in 2022 with an estimated net worth of $90 million.
6. Jay Jay Okocha
Austin Jay-Jay Okocha is a famous Nigerian professional and international football player. He has been described as a legend in the game of football and the greatest and most skillful football player of all time and also one of the most successful footballers in Africa. He was born on 14th August 1973 in Enugu coal city of Enugu State in the south eastern part of Nigeria.
He is currently 48 years old. He played as an attacking midfielder for the Super Eagles of Nigeria and English premier league club Bolton Wanderers. He was the captain of the Nigeria Super Eagles for many years until he retired. He is a quick and skillful playmaker, who is widely regarded as the best Nigerian player of his generation and one of the greatest African players of all time.
Jay-Jay Okocha was known for his confidence, technique, creativity and dribbling skills as well as his use of feints and step-over tactics in humiliating and frustrating players that challenge him on a pitch. Due to his skills, he was described by Ronaldinho as a legendary king of football and a mentor to young athletes. Jay-Jay Okocha is very wealthy and currently number 6 on our list of top 10 most richest footballers in Africa in 2022 with an estimated net worth of $95 million.
5. Kanu Nwankwo 
Kanu Nwankwo is a famous Nigerian professional and international football player. He has been described as one of the greatest and most skillful football players of all time and also one of the most successful footballers in Africa. He was born on 1st August 1976 in Owerri, Imo State in the south eastern part of Nigeria. He is currently 45 years old. Kanu Nwankwo is originally from Abia State, but was born and bred in Owerri, Imo State.
He began his career at Nigerian league club known as Federation Works, before moving to Iwuanyanwu Nationale. After a notable performance at the FIFA U-17 World Championships, he was signed by AFC Ajax in 1993 for a contract deal worth €207,047. He made his Ajax debut in 1994 and went on to score 25 goals in 54 appearances.
Kanu Nwankwo is now a retired Nigerian footballer who played as a forward striker for Super Eagles of Nigeria, English Premier League Club Arsenal and Portsmouth. Kanu Nwankwo is very wealthy and currently number 5 on our list of top 10 most richest footballers in Africa in 2022 with an estimated net worth of $100 million.
4. Mikel Obi
John Mikel Obi is a Nigerian professional and international footballer who captains both English club Middlesbrough and the Nigeria national team as a defensive midfielder. He was a former midfielder in Chelsea. He was born on 22nd April 1987 in Jos, Plateau State in the northern part of Nigeria. He is currently 34 years old. He is originally from Abia State in the south eastern part of Nigeria.
Mikel Obi started his football career at the age of 12 years old when he was picked as a talented footballer from over 3000 young talents in Nigeria to play in Pepsi Football Academy. In 2005, Mikel Obi played for Nigeria at the FIFA World Youth Championships held in the Netherlands. He had an excellent tournament until Nigeria reached the final, where they lost 2–1 to Argentina.
After the game with Argentina, Mikel Obi won the Silver Ball after being voted the tournament’s second-best player. John Mikel Obi is very wealthy and currently number 4 on our list of the top 10 most richest footballers in Africa in 2022 with an estimated net worth of $130 million.
3. Yaya Toure 
Yaya Toure is an Ivorian professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Spanish club Barcelona, English club Man City and the Ivory Coast national team. He captained the Ivory Coast national team until his retirement. He was born on 13th May 1983 in Bouake, Cote d’Ivoire. He is currently 38 years old. Yaya Touré has been regarded as one of the world’s best players in his position and also one of the greatest African players of all time.
Yaya Touré was voted African Footballer of the Year for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. He was part of the historic 2009 Barcelona team that won six trophies in a calendar year. In 2010, Yaya Touré moved to Premier League club Manchester City, where he scored a number of key goals and also helped Man City earn their first league title in 44 years. Yaya Touré is very wealthy and currently number 3 on our list of top 10 most richest footballers in Africa in 2022 with an estimated net worth of $180 million.
2. Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba is a famous Ivorian professional and international footballer, who played as a former forward striker for his country Ivory Coast national team and a former forward striker for English Premier League club Chelsea. He currently plays for American club Phoenix Rising as a forward striker. He has been described as one of the greatest and most creative footballers in Africa and also one of the most successful footballers in Africa.
He is the all-time top goal scorer and former captain of the Ivory Coast national team. He was born on 11th March 1978 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. He is currently 43 years old. At the age of 5 years old, Didier Drogba was sent to France by his parents to live with his uncle, Miche Goba, a professional footballer. In 2006, Didier Drogba captained the national team of Ivory Coast from 2006 until his retirement from the Ivory Coast national team in 2014.
During his time in Ivory Coast national team, he was the nation’s all-time top goal scorer with over 65 goals from 104 appearances. Didier Drogba is very wealthy and currently number 2 on our list of top 10 most richest footballers in Africa with an estimated net worth of $200 million.
1. Samuel Eto’O 
Samuel Eto’o is a famous Cameroonian football player, who currently plays as a forward striker for Turkish club Konyaspor. He has retired from playing for his country Cameroon national team. He was a former forward striker for English premier league club Chelsea and Everton and was also a former forward striker for Spanish club Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
He has been described as a legend in the game of football and the greatest and most skillful football player of all time and also one of the most successful footballers in Africa. He was born on 10th March 1981 in Douala, Cameroon. He is currently 41 years old. He is currently Cameroon’s all-time leading goal scorer and the third most capped player in Africa with over 56 goals from 118 appearances.
Samuel Eto’o has been described as the most decorated African player of all time, having won the African Player of the Year awards at a record of four times. Samuel Eto’o is very wealthy and currently number 1 on our list of top 10 most richest footballers in Africa in 2022 with an estimated net worth of $250 million.
Note that Mikel obi is from Anambra state