How Nigeria’s football passion became a billion-naira economy for foreign leagues

Every weekend, millions of Nigerians tune in to football being played thousands of miles away. Viewing centres in Lagos fill up, Arsenal’s title chances are debated in Abuja and bets are placed on matches in Manchester, London and Liverpool. What looks like fandom has developed into a major economy built around foreign football – one that benefits overseas competitions more than Nigeria.

A nation betting on the Premier League

About 60 million Nigerians aged between 18 and 40 take part in sports betting, while roughly N730 billion is spent each year on betting and lotteries. Football accounts for 75% to 85% of all wagers, with the Premier League and Champions League producing the highest volumes for individual matches.

Daily betting stakes are greater than N10 billion, equivalent to N3.65 trillion over a year.

The Premier League dominates Nigerian football attention. A 2024 NOI poll found Chelsea were the preferred club of 28% of Nigerian fans, helped by the club’s history of signing Nigerian players including Celestine Babayaro and John Mikel Obi. Arsenal accounted for 26% of the fanbase in Twitter research.

When Arsenal ended a 22-year wait to win the Premier League in 2026, supporters in Lagos, Abuja, Benin and Port Harcourt celebrated in the streets, with fireworks and a surge of activity on social media.

By comparison, Nigeria’s domestic league attracts 34% of fans, while 59% prefer the EPL. The Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) is worth “a rounding error” beside the English competition.

Money flowing out of the local game

Nigeria spent N7.62 trillion on mobile data in 2025, with football consumption a major part of usage during the August-to-May season. Those Nigerian audiences help shape the broadcasting values agreed by European clubs, which collect most of the resulting income, with little equivalent return in Naira.

The annual market for shirts and other merchandise is estimated at N80 billion, much of it outside the formal tax system. The Fantasy Premier League economy is similarly unregistered and untaxed, covering Telegram advice channels charging N1,500 a month, office mini-leagues offering prize pools of ₦100,000 to ₦500,000, and FPL YouTubers.

Betting generated an estimated $590 million (approx. N826 billion) in operator revenue in Nigeria in 2025. Many operators are foreign-owned. Although state governments receive tax income, much of the wider structural value leaves the country.

Why the NPFL struggles to compete

The NPFL’s difficulties are not linked to a lack of talent or interest, but to administration. Most clubs belong to state governments, leaving their finances dependent on political changes. They often play in stadiums they do not own, while prize money may arrive late or be insufficient even to cover player wages.

The Premier League was developed with patient private investment and five established revenue sources: broadcast rights, commercial sponsorship, matchday income, merchandise and player trading. Even Huddersfield Town, relegated in 2018, received £97 million from television rights alone – more than title winners in several major European leagues.

Many supporters therefore see the EPL as the “clean” product. The NPFL is viewed through the “Home-Win-Away-Lose” syndrome, the belief that results can be determined by factors beyond sporting merit.

Familiarity drives betting choices

A GeoPoll survey found that 91% of Nigerian fans follow the English Premier League, despite the competition being six hours away by air. For many, it is experienced mainly through mobile phones: the Premier League on Saturdays, the NPFL on Sundays and European matches on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when Nigerian players are involved.

That regular exposure creates confidence. Bettors feel they understand Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea better than teams in competitions they rarely watch. Their accumulator bets commonly begin with European fixtures, not because those matches are necessarily more predictable, but because they seem that way.

The 2026 World Cup is likely to intensify the pattern. With Nigeria’s qualification prospects uncertain, bettors may favour Brazil, France or England – established powers featuring players they have watched throughout the season. Their loyalty may remain with Nigeria, but their money will continue to follow foreign teams.