Top 10 Football Academies in Nigeria

I’ll always be of the opinion that football is the only sport in Nigeria that has the ability to unify the nation for at least 90 minutes.

Truly, Nigeria speaks football.  It is the country’s most popular sport and most unifying bond.

Whether it’s a domestic competition, like the Nigeria Premier League, an international competition such as the World Cup, African Cup of Nations (CAF), or foreign competitions like the UEFA Champions League and the English Premier League, Nigerians are committed to the sport.

Gone are the days when football was seen as a sport for paupers and street urchins. Football is now seen as big business and good footballers who earn millions weekly, are now the talk of the town.

To increase the number of footballing talents being churned out by the country yearly, a number of Football Academies have sprung up and have been engaged in constantly producing young football stars.

Players who were discovered in these Football Academies have gone on to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria and for various prestigious clubs across Europe and the world at large.

Many successful Football Clubs in Europe have academies where they groom home-grown stars. Some of the best clubs in the art include Ajax, Manchester United, Barcelona, Liverpool, Dortmund, Arsenal, West-Ham and many more.

The major issue is how to take Nigeria football to the next level so we can compete favorably with other footballing Countries seeing that our academies fall way down below what is obtainable in Europe.

The good news is that if you want to learn football in Nigeria, there are many great Academy options to choose from. Attending the best Football Academy will help you advance your professional career and launch you into the international spotlight.

The top 10 Football Academies in Nigeria are listed below.

1. Pepsi Football Academy

Pepsi Football Academy is among the pioneer football academies to be established in Nigeria. It was founded in November 1992 by Kashimawo Laloko.

It secured the total backing of Pepsi in the year 1994.

Pepsi football academy started in Lagos at Agege Stadium but has since spread its wings to other parts of the country. It now has 14 training centers across the country.

Today, the Pepsi Football Academy has over 3,000 registered students ranging in age from 6 to 18 years old and 54 coaches across Nigeria.

Interestingly, the Academy offers scholarships to its students. This initiative began in the year 2006. The Academy set up a UK scholarship scheme that awards scholarship players. The first recipient was Michael Oluwatosin.

Football stars such as Mikel John Obi, Joseph Akpala, Elderson Echiejile, Taiwo Awoniyi and many more were discovered in the Pepsi Football Academy.

How to register in Pepsi Football Academy

The registration form for children aged 5 to 14 is only 6,000 naira. The registration form costs only 12,000 naira for players aged 15 and up.

If you want to join the PEPSI Football Academy, you will need to provide certain documents. The original birth certificate, applicant passports, and medical reports are among the documents required.

Website: http://www.pepsifootballacademy.com

2. Football College Abuja(FCA)

The Football College Abuja, founded in 2012 by Mr. Gabriele Volpi as a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, is a private organization.

Abuja Football College, located at 52 Yedesram Street, Maitama, Abuja FCT Nigeria, offers Active Life – Sports services.

It is open to young and budding footballers between the age of 11 and 17 years old. The football academy aims to build football talent and artistry as well as give youngsters a strong start to developing a solid career as a footballer.

FCA has a state-of-the-art training facility and a highly qualified coaching staff.

It was established as a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative by Orlean Invest LTD and is dedicated to developing young boys with football talent, especially those from financially challenged backgrounds, in the field of education and total football immersion.

The Academy is well-funded and has some of the best footballing prospects under its ranks. FCA is headed by Gabriel Newton who was a FIFA Licensed instructor in partnership with Haruna Abba.

Football College Abuja was the winner of the MladenRamljak International youth club football tournament held in Croatia in the year 2018.

They also recently won FCT Federations Cup and represented Abuja at the national level. Abuja Football College also won the Under 20 Unity Football Competition tagged “FCT 2013”, beating the likes of Pepsi Academy, Kwara State academy, etc to the crown.

Players such as Sadiq Umar and Nura Abdullahi are two Football college Abuja graduates who play in European club Roma. Other graduates have also found their way to the ranks of top European clubs.

How to register in Football College Abuja

The official website of Abuja Football College is http://www.footballcollege.com/. While its official Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/TheFootballCollegeAbuja.

3. Papilo Football Academy

Papilo Football Academy is the brainchild of Nigeria and Super Eagles’ Football Legend, Kanu Nwankwo, who played for the likes of Ajax FC, Inter Milan, Arsenal FC and Portsmouth with a lot of winners medals. Papilo Football Academy was founded in 2000.

He started the academy in a bid to give young football talent a level playing field and all the best footballing facilities he never had as a kid growing up.

Papilo Football Academy is a subdivision of Papilo Football Club which is currently doing well in the Nigerian National League.

The most notable graduate of the Papilo football academy is Joel Obi who plays for Inter-Milan in Italy and Stanley Okoro of Battista, who is nicknamed ‘Little Messi’. Many other graduates from PFA have made their way to play in Europe.

Papilo Football Academy aims to build the confidence and skills of young footballers and guide them to become professional footballers. The Football Academy also has a partnership agreement with Leeds United Football Club in England. In 2018, four players from the Papilo Football Academy were invited to train with Leeds United Football Club. Papilo Football academy also has a development partnership with Vandrezzer FC.

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Kanu uses his tight connections to bring in top International coaches like Bryan Robson, Gary Smith and others to coach the students on short courses. The academy has over 200 players in Nwankwo Kanu’s private estate at Egbu, Owerri Road.

Kanu is also reportedly said to be building one of the biggest football academies in Africa and the academy is open to Under 15, under 17, under 19 students.

Papilo Football Club won the State FA Cup in 2016.

Papilo Football Club got promoted to the National League from Nationwide One in 2016.

Two times finalist in the state FA Cup.

How to enroll at Papilo Football Academy

The admission form for Papilo Football Academy costs #12,500 only.

Find contact details of Papilo Football Academy below:

• Phone: +234 703 844 7147, +234 806 610 8842, +234 803 777 9697
• Fax: +234 703 417 6011

Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

4. Midas Football Academy

Midas Football Academy Nigeria was formed in November 2006 to discover young soccer talents in Nigeria and the rest of Africa. Its goal is to train and produce young, quality and talented footballers who can go on to become world-beaters.

The academy is duly registered and affiliated with the Nigeria Football Federation and Lagos state Football Association.

Midas Academy has some of the best football training facilities which help in the pursuit of its mission.

MFA has participated in international youth tournaments in South Africa, Germany, Denmark, Israel, and in a local tournament in Nigeria.

How to enroll at Midas Football Academy

Join Midas Football Academy by visiting https://midasfootballacademy.com/

The official website and Facebook page of Midas Soccer Academy is: www.midasfootballacademy.com

https://www.facebook.com/midasfootballacademy

5. Phildan Football Academy

Phildan Football Academy is a quality football academy that focuses on training and bringing the best out of young footballers within the age bracket of 8 to 28 years of age.

Their mission is to ensure that every young footballer who is willing to showcase their talent is given the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Phildan Football Academy was founded by Chief Philip Orjiako in the year 2014, out of his sheer passion for Youth Development through Sports.

Phildan Football Academy claims to be in contact with top football scouts all over Africa and Europe who can help take their graduates to top football clubs around the globe.

6. Edo State Academicals

Edo State Football Academy is one of the leading Football Academies in the country today because of the amount of outstanding talent which have been discovered by this Football Academy.

Just like most quality Football Academies around the world, the mission of Edo State Academicals is to nurture young football talents into becoming world-beaters.

The Edo State Football Academy seems to have achieved its mission when one of her prospects was named the most valuable player at the 2013 Under-17 World cup and later got signed to English premier league side Manchester City.

That player is no other than Kelechi Iheanacho, who now plays for Leicester City in England. Isaac Success who plays for Watford in the Premier League is also a graduate of Edo State Football Academy.

Address: GRA Police Barracks, Adesuwa, GRA, Benin City.

Contact: +2347065238310

7. Barcelona Football Academy (FCBESCOLA):

FCBESCOLA is Barcelona’s own Football Academy in Lagos, Nigeria where kids between the ages of 5 to 18 years can get admitted by paying their registration fee.

Their registration center is at Teslim Balogun Stadium Complex, Surulere, Lagos.

The registration form fee for FCBEscola is #13,500.

Contact details are available below:

Phone: +2349062259436, +2349030000931

Email: [email protected]

Address: Teslim Balogun Stadium Complex, Surulere, Lagos State, Nigeria

8. Kwara State Football Academy (KWFA)

Kwara Football Academy (KFA), an initiative of Former Kwara State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, was established in 2005 by the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Issau Hayatou, to discover and develop young soccer talents in Nigeria and throughout Africa.

The academy’s focus is on skill development. It is open to all regardless of place of origin.

The academy commenced operations with former Nigeria National Team Technical Adviser, Clemence Westerhof and is now managed by a Swedish technical director, Paul Ashworth.

Ashworth has managed many professional teams in Europe including Dynamo Kiev and FC Peterborough. The academy currently has seven coaches who are all former international football players with coaching certificates.

The academy currently has over 150 students and accepts young talented footballers between the ages of 10 – 20 years.

The academy is located at Kwara State Stadium Complex, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

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Contact:- +2348137776200

Email:– [email protected]

Official Website: https://kfailorin.com/

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KwaraFootballAcademy

9. Siaone Soccer Academy

Siaone Soccer Academy (SSA), Abuja, was established by the former coach of the Super Eagles, Samson Siasia. The academy aims to develop young elite footballers, who will go professional players in and out of the country.

The Samson Siasia Foundation’s objective is to uplift the human spirit through soccer and sports. To give a chance for anyone that once played a CHANCE TO PLAY AGAIN.

The academy offers youngsters an opportunity to realize their passion for the sport, with a chance to participate in competitive, local and international tournaments.  SSA also provides coaching Programmes around the country at satellite sports venues, delivered by highly qualified coaches.

website: www.siaonesocceracademy.com

Address: Suites 21/1  Abuja National Stadium, Abuja, Nigeria

Phone: +23490987222 and +2347065238310

10. The International Sports Academy

The International (Sports) Academy (TIA) is Nigeria’s first and only multi-sports secondary school for young boys and girls who are interested in, talented in, and passionate about sports. Chief Segun Odegbami (MON), an ex-international football player, sports analyst, administrator, and author, founded TIA in 2007.

The school has a 6-year curriculum (JSS1 – SS3) in which students have the opportunity to participate in a quality academic program as well as a quality and intensive athletic program of their choice in preparation for life as a student-athlete in college or normal further education.

TIA offers a comprehensive development program through 5 sports academies;

1. basketball
2. tennis
3. athletics
4. table tennis
5. and football.

Address: Wasimi Orile. 54 kilometers from Muritala Mohammed International airport in Lagos and 26 kilometers from Abeokuta, off the Abeokuta – Sango Otta – Lagos new express road in Ogun State, Nigeria.

The above-listed football academies are some of the best in the country, although we have a few other soccer academies that are also doing great in grooming football young talents in the country. 

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