Former Nigeria striker Michael Eneramo has died after collapsing during a football match in Kaduna at the age of 40.
The ex-international, who featured for clubs such as Turkish side Beşiktaş, Tunisian giants Espérance, and Nigeria’s Lobi Stars, reportedly slumped on the pitch while playing at Angwar Yelwa in the Television area of Kaduna.
According to eyewitness accounts, Eneramo had been introduced in the second half of the match when the incident occurred.
He fell suddenly without any contact from other players, raising immediate concern among teammates and spectators.
A source who spoke to SCORENigeria said efforts were made to revive him at the scene, but they proved unsuccessful. He was subsequently rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Eneramo had retired from professional football and was running his own football academy prior to his passing.
His sudden death has sent shockwaves through the Nigerian football community, with many mourning the loss of a player remembered for his contributions both locally and internationally.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
