Nigeria’s top 10 football academies — Pepsi, Football College Abuja, Papilo, Midas, Phildan, Edo State Academicals, FCBEscola Lagos, Kwara Football Academy, Siaone, and The International Academy — train boys (and at some, girls) from age 5 to 20 in technique, fitness and academics. They’ve supplied the Super Eagles and clubs in England, Spain, Italy, Germany and Belgium. Registration fees run from ₦6,000 forms to ₦77,000 signing packages.
Football is the one sport that quiets the country for 90 minutes. The path from a Nigerian street pitch to Europe runs through a small number of structured academies. Pick one near you, check it’s affiliated with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and a state FA, and confirm coaching qualifications before you pay any fee.
Which football academies in Nigeria are worth joining?
1. Pepsi Football Academy
Kashimawo Laloko founded Pepsi Football Academy in November 1992, and Pepsi came on as title sponsor in 1994. It’s the oldest structured academy in Nigeria.
The academy started at Agege Stadium in Lagos and now runs 14 training centres nationwide. It carries about 3,000 students aged 6–18 and 54 coaches. Pepsi’s UK scholarship scheme (launched 2006) sends top performers to UK clubs each year — Michael Oluwatosin was the first.
Alumni who came up through Pepsi include Mikel John Obi, Joseph Akpala, Elderson Echiejile, Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest), Peter Odemwingie and Sunday Mba.
How do you register for Pepsi Football Academy?
The registration form is ₦6,000 for ages 5–14 and ₦12,000 for ages 15 and up. Bring your original birth certificate, passport photos and a medical report.
Website: http://www.pepsifootballacademy.com
2. Football College Abuja (FCA)
Gabriele Volpi (founder of Orlean Invest) opened FCA in 2012 as a corporate social responsibility project. It admits boys aged 11–17 from across Nigeria, with a focus on talented players from low-income backgrounds.
The main centre is at the National Stadium, Abuja, with feeder centres in Owerri and Lagos. FCA trains about 120 residential students and pairs football with formal education. The coaching staff hold UEFA Pro, advanced diplomas and degrees in sports science.
FCA won the MladenRamljak International youth tournament in Croatia (2018) and the FCT Federation Cup. Notable alumni include Sadiq Umar — now at Valencia CF after a January 2026 transfer — and Nura Abdullahi, both of whom came through the European club pipeline via FCA.
How do you register for Football College Abuja?
Website: footballcollege.com. Facebook: facebook.com/TheFootballCollegeAbuja.
3. Papilo Football Academy
Super Eagles legend Kanu Nwankwo (ex-Ajax, Inter Milan, Arsenal, Portsmouth) founded Papilo Football Academy in 2000 in Owerri, Imo State. He set it up to give Nigerian kids the facilities he never had growing up.
The academy sits on Kanu’s private estate at Egbu, Owerri Road, and admits boys at U15, U17 and U19 levels. Kanu uses his network to bring in top international coaches like Bryan Robson and Gary Smith for short clinics.
Papilo Football Club, the academy’s senior side, won promotion to the Nigeria National League from Nationwide One in 2016. Kanu sold the NNL club a few seasons later and now focuses on the academy and a new training facility he is building near Owerri.
Notable alumni include Joel Obi (formerly Inter Milan), Stanley Okoro, Chidiebere Nwakali and Kelechi Iheanacho (now Celtic FC, on a one-year deal signed September 2025).
How do you enroll at Papilo Football Academy?
The application form costs ₦12,500. Annual fees fall between ₦150,000 and ₦250,000 (verify with academy).
Contact:
- Phone: +234 703 844 7147, +234 806 610 8842, +234 803 777 9697
- Email: papilonwankwokanuintl@yahoo.com, info@papilofcacademy.com
4. Midas Football Academy
Midas Football Academy launched in November 2006 to scout and develop young talent in Nigeria and the wider continent. It is registered with the Nigeria Football Federation and Lagos State Football Association.
Midas has represented Nigeria at youth tournaments in South Africa, Germany, Denmark and Israel. The first team trains at Ikola pitch behind Army Resettlement Centre, Ipaja, Lagos.
The academy accepts players aged 8–18 and trains four days a week from 7am (Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays).
How do you enrol at Midas Football Academy?
Apply at midasfootballacademy.com. The signing package is ₦77,000 for a full 12-month season:
- Application Form: ₦5,000
- Uniform/Ceremonial Dress: ₦5,000
- Training Jersey: ₦5,000
- Coaching Fee: ₦35,000 per annum
- ID Card: ₦2,000
- Medical Fee: ₦15,000 per annum
- Project Fee: ₦10,000
Phone: +234 803 376 9034, +234 909 143 0200, +234 817 601 9417
Email: info@midasfootballacademy.com
Facebook: facebook.com/midasfootballacademy
5. Phildan Football Academy
Chief Philip Orjiako founded Phildan Football Academy in 2014 in Abuja. It admits players aged 8–28 — one of the widest age bands in the country — and connects graduates to scouts across Africa and Europe.
Address: 395 Etang Oboli Crescent, Jabi, Abuja.
Phone: 0803 407 7753
Website: phildanfootballacademy.com
6. Edo State Academicals
Edo State Academicals (ESA) is one of Nigeria’s most productive academies for top-flight talent. The Edo State Government established it in 2007 in Benin City.
ESA’s biggest alumnus is Kelechi Iheanacho — MVP of the 2013 U-17 World Cup, signed by Manchester City, later Leicester City, and now at Celtic FC. Isaac Success, currently at Udinese after spells at Watford and Granada, also came through the academy.
Address: GRA Police Barracks, Adesuwa, GRA, Benin City.
Contact: +234 706 523 8310
7. Barcelona Football Academy (FCBEscola Lagos)
FCBEscola Lagos is FC Barcelona’s official academy in Nigeria, launched in 2017 — the first FCBEscola in Sub-Saharan Africa. It admits children aged 5–18 and teaches the Barça methodology (positional play, possession-based attack, plus the club’s values).
The academy ran with over 400 boys and girls in its first cohort and continues to run technification programmes for advanced players.
The registration form is ₦13,500.
Phone: +234 906 225 9436, +234 903 000 0931
Email: info@fcbescolalagos.com
Address: Teslim Balogun Stadium Complex, Surulere, Lagos.
8. Kwara Football Academy (KFA)
Former Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki founded KFA in 2005, with CAF then-president Issa Hayatou officially opening it. It now runs as Kwara Football Academy Ilorin under the state government.
KFA pairs football with full secondary academics. It admits boys aged 10–21 and runs three streams: Secondary, Professional Non-Scholarship and Professional Scholarship. Former Super Eagles coach Clemens Westerhof started the academy; Swedish technical director Paul Ashworth (ex-Dynamo Kiev, FC Peterborough) leads the coaching staff.
In October 2025, Chelsea, Brentford and Belgian side OH Leuven opened talks for three KFA players: Abduljelil Kamaldeen, Uthman Tajudeen and Ifeanyi Ikechukwu. KFA’s Abdulsalam Fuhad also represented Nigeria at the inaugural African School Sports Championship in Algeria in August 2025.
Address: Kwara State Stadium Complex, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Ilorin, Kwara State.
Read more >>> Kwara Football Academy: Fees, Cadres and How to Apply
Phone: +234 813 777 6200
Email: info@kfailorin.com
Website: thekfailorin.com
Facebook: facebook.com/KwaraFootballAcademy
9. Siaone Soccer Academy
Former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia founded Siaone Soccer Academy (SSA) in Abuja. The academy trains players for both local clubs and international moves, with satellite coaching programmes around the country.
Siasia returned to full coaching in August 2024 after FIFA’s match-fixing ban was reduced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The academy resumed cohort programmes that year and ran its end-of-year showcase in December 2025.
Website: siaonesocceracademy.com
Address: Suite 21/1, Abuja National Stadium, Abuja.
Phone: +234 909 8722 (Siaone), +234 706 523 8310
10. The International (Sports) Academy
Chief Segun Odegbami (MON) — ex-Green Eagles winger, sports analyst and administrator — founded The International (Sports) Academy (TIA) in 2007. It is Nigeria’s first multi-sport boarding secondary school built specifically for talented young athletes.
The six-year programme covers JSS1 to SS3 and pairs full academic coursework with intensive athletic training. TIA runs five sport schools: football, basketball, tennis, athletics and table tennis. Graduates leave ready to apply for sport scholarships abroad or move into club football at home.
Address: Wasimi Orile, off the Abeokuta–Sango Otta–Lagos expressway, Ogun State. 54 km from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; 26 km from Abeokuta.
How do you pick the right football academy?
Match the academy to your age, your budget and how far you can travel. If you want a residential academy with school, look at KFA, FCA or TIA. If you want a Lagos day programme, Midas or Pepsi work. For pure technique under a European-club methodology, FCBEscola Lagos. For a pathway through a senior club side, Papilo. Check that any academy you join is affiliated with the NFF or a state FA and that its coaches hold valid CAF, NFF or UEFA licences.
What does academy registration cost in Nigeria?
Registration forms run from ₦6,000 (Pepsi, youngest cadre) to ₦13,500 (FCBEscola). Annual fees vary widely. Midas charges ₦77,000 as an all-in signing package for the season. Papilo charges ₦150,000–₦250,000 per year. KFA charges by stream — Professional Scholarship costs the player nothing. Confirm directly with the academy and avoid agents who ask for money upfront.
Related reads:
How to Become a Professional Footballer in Nigeria
Kwara Football Academy: Fees, Cadres and How to Apply
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