The fortunes of Nigeria’s footballers in various football leagues across the world may be dwindling as very few are able to land lucrative deals at prestigious clubs unlike their counterparts from South America and some African countries like Ghana, Ivory Coast (where Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba pull in enviable amounts as wages).

However there are still many of Nigeria’s exports who earn big in their own right and below after extensive research I present to you the most definitive list of Nigeria’s highest earning footballers in 2012.

1. Yakubu Aiyegbeni

Age: 30
Club: Guangzhou R&F
Wage: £5.04 million

Yakubu, after proving himself for several seasons in the English Premier League the Yak made a big money move to China’s Guangzhou R&F where is reported to pull in nearly £100,000 weekly. In fact his annual take home at the Chinese club is placed at £5,040,000.

2. John Obi Mikel

Age: 25
Club: Chelsea FC
Annual Wage: £4.16 million

Mikel Obi the Chelsea midfielder was previously on a £2,600,000 (£50,000 per week) but recently signed a new five year contract with the European champions worth £4,160,000 annually. His hefty pay packet however suffers some substantial tax under the United Kingdom tax rules. Mikel also got a hefty bonus as part of the 2012 Champions League winning squad that lifted the trophy at the Alliance Arena, Munich in May 2012.

3. Taye Taiwo

Age: 27
Club: AC Milan
Wage: £3.36 million

The left back moved from Olympic Marseille to Milan FC in a 3 year lucrative move worth £3,360,000 per year. Though he has yet to break into the Milan team and has been shipped on loan so far to Queens Park Rangers and currently to FC Dynamo Kyiv Taye may not mind too much as he earns a princely sum and will not be due to renew his current contract until 2014.

4. John Utaka

Age: 31
Club: Montpellier
Wage: £2.08 million

After angry rumours that the former Eagles winger took home £80,000 a week at Portsmouth (at a time the club was in dire financial straits) the player had insisted he only earned about £30,000 at the now relegated club. Utaka joined Montpellier in 2011 in 2 and half year deal estimated at £40,000 per week.

See complete List: http://nairabrains.com/2013/01/report-exclusive-list-of-nigerias-highest-paid-footballers-in-2012/