When you think about Nigerian footballers lighting up European leagues, the Premier League and La Liga often come to mind. But over the years, Serie A has quietly become a playground for some of Nigeria’s most clinical finishers and gifted attackers.
From powerhouse strikers like Victor Osinhem bullying defences to silky forwards like Ademola Lookman weaving through tight spaces, Nigerians have left their mark on Italian football in a big way.
So in this piece, Footynaija.com counts down from 10 to 1, looking at the best Nigerian goal-scorers to ever grace the Italian top-flight.
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10. Cyriel Dessers – 6 Goals (US Cremonese)
Dessers might have only had a short spell in Serie A with Cremonese, but he did leave his mark. The Nigerian striker joined the newly promoted side in 2022 from Feyenoord, tasked with keeping them in the top flight.
His 6 league goals may not sound like a huge haul, but in a relegation fight, every strike mattered. While Cremonese ultimately went down, Dessers moved to Scotland where he has since enjoyed a very prolific couple of seasons with Rangers.
9. Joel Obi – 8 Goals (Inter Milan, Parma, Torino)
It may surprise many to see a midfielder making this list but that’s how good Joel Obi was at popping up with crucial goals. He broke through at Inter Milan in 2010, winning a Coppa Italia in his debut season.
His energy in midfield was a constant asset, even if injuries limited his time. After short stints at Parma and later Torino, Obi ended his Serie A career with 8 goals in 142 appearances. Not a bad tally for someone whose main job was breaking up play rather than finishing it.
8. Christian Obodo – 9 Goals (Perugia, Fiorentina, Udinese)
Obodo was one of those midfielders who made football look effortless. Moving from Plateau United to Perugia in 2001, he quickly impressed and became one of the hottest properties in the Italian top flight.
His best spell came at Udinese, where he played in the Champions League and was part of a side punching above its weight in Serie A. Across his career in Italy, he chipped in with 9 goals in 198 games and while scoring wasn’t his main job, those moments when he did find the net were often spectacular.
7. David Okereke – 14 Goals (Venezia, Cremonese)
Okereke’s Serie A story has been about hard work and determination. He arrived in the league with Venezia in 2021 and instantly became their go-to man in attack, scoring 7 times in their relegation battle.
Moving to Cremonese for the 2022/2023 season, he repeated the feat with another 7 goals. While his sides have struggled for survival, Okereke has consistently shown he can trouble even the best defences with his pace and directness on the ball.
6. Victor Obinna – 14 Goals (Chievo, Inter Milan)
Before Osimhen and Lookman, there was Obinna, a forward with explosive speed and a rocket shot. He burst onto the scene with Chievo in 2005, netting 19 times in all competitions over three seasons, with 11 of those in Serie A.
His form earned him a move to Inter Milan in 2008, where competition for places was fierce. Obinna added a few more league goals during his time with the Nerazurri, plus a Serie A title in 2008/2009, before moving on to La Liga side Malaga.
5. Stephen Makinwa – 16 Goals (Modena, Palermo, Lazio, Reggina, Chievo, Genoa)
The “Power Horse” was a journeyman in every sense, playing for six different Serie A clubs between 2004 and 2012. Makinwa’s highest-scoring spell came at Reggina, where he bagged 6 league goals in a single season.
While he never hit massive numbers at any one club, his physicality and work rate made him a valuable asset wherever he went. His career total of 16 Serie A goals is a testament to his decent goal-scoring prowess, even in constantly changing surroundings.
4. Obafemi Martins – 28 Goals (Inter Milan)
The speedstar with a trademark backflip celebration, Martins joined Inter Milan as a teenager in 2001 and wasted no time in endearing himself to the fans. Blessed with blistering pace, he scored 28 goals in 88 league appearances, helping the Nerazurri win two Coppa Italias and the 2005/2006 Serie A title. Martins was also a menace in Europe, famously scoring against some of the continent’s biggest clubs in the Champions League.
3. Simy Nwankwo – 34 Goals (Crotone, Salernitana)
Simeon “Simy” Nwankwo holds a special place in Nigerian Serie A history. Arriving in Italy with Crotone in 2016, he helped them survive relegation scraps and even scored 20 goals in the 2020/21 season, recording the highest single-season tally ever for a Nigerian at the time. Later moving to Salernitana, Simy’s goalscoring touch faded slightly, but his overall tally of 34 goals remains hugely impressive for a player who mostly battled in struggling sides.
2. Ademola Lookman – 39 Goals (Atalanta)
Lookman has been nothing short of spectacular since arriving at Atalanta in 2022. With his mix of dribbling skill, composure in front of goal and ability to play anywhere across the front line, he’s become one of Serie A’s most feared attackers.
In three seasons, Lookman hit 39 goals in 93 games, and his performances in Europe have been just as lethal with that famous Europa League final hat-trick in 2023, delivering a first-ever European success to Atalanta.
Unfortunately, his relationship with the Bergamo-based club has soured, following their reluctance to sanction his desired transfer to Serie A rivals Inter Milan.
1. Victor Osimhen – 65 Goals (Napoli)
Osimhen’s arrival at Napoli in 2020 from Lille came with a hefty price tag, but he’s more than justified it as he sits top of our list. In four seasons, he racked up 65 goals in 108 games, spearheading Napoli’s charge to their first Scudetto in 33 years in 2022/2023.
Fast, strong, and ruthless in front of goal, Osimhen has not only broken Nigerian records in Italy but has cemented himself as one of the league’s modern greats.
Unfortunately, Osimhen’s association with the Partenopei ended on a sour note as well, with the masked hitman spending the entirety of last season on a record-breaking loan spell at Galatasaray. It’s no wonder that the Super Lig champions broke the bank to secure him on a permanent basis.
