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Nigerian sportsmen have recorded notable career achievements in 2026, with several players reaching the 100-goal or 100-appearance mark for their clubs and country.
The landmarks span European football, international duty and youth cricket, highlighting the contributions of Nigerian athletes across different sporting competitions.
Tolu Arokodare was among the latest players to achieve the feat after scoring his 100th career goal in Ajax’s 2-0 victory over Atalanta in the UEFA Conference League on October 22. The Nigerian striker came on as a substitute and opened the scoring before Abdellah Ouazane added a second goal in stoppage time.
Ademola Lookman also reached the century mark in February, scoring his 100th career goal on his debut for Atlético Madrid. His goal helped the Spanish club secure a 5-0 win over Real Betis in the Copa del Rey quarter-final. Lookman also provided an assist for Antoine Griezmann during the encounter.
Taiwo Awoniyi celebrated his 100th appearance for Nottingham Forest in May by scoring twice in a 3-1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The striker, who joined the English club in 2022, delivered an impressive performance despite previous injury setbacks.
In international football, Alex Iwobi reached 100 appearances for Nigeria in June during a friendly against Portugal. The Fulham midfielder became the fourth player to achieve the milestone for the Super Eagles, following Joseph Yobo, Vincent Enyeama and Ahmed Musa. He also reached 100 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, Everton and Fulham individually.
Defender Calvin Bassey joined the list of Nigerian players with 100 Premier League appearances in October. The Fulham centre-back achieved the landmark against Ipswich Town, further consolidating his position as an important member of the London club’s defence.
Nathan Tella also recorded his 100th appearance for Bayer Leverkusen in April, providing an assist in the German club’s 2-1 Bundesliga victory over Cologne. The winger joined the team from Southampton in 2023 and was part of the squad that won the Bundesliga title unbeaten in the 2023/2024 season.
Moses Simon became the fifth Nigerian footballer to earn 100 international caps when he featured in the Super Eagles’ 2-1 victory over Madagascar in September. The Paris FC winger joined Iwobi, Musa, Yobo and Enyeama in the exclusive group after years of representing the national team.
Meanwhile, Rangers International striker Godwin Obaje reached 100 goals in the Nigeria Premier Football League in September. He scored from the penalty spot in his team’s 1-0 win over Warri Wolves, joining Victor Ezeji and Rabiu Ali among players to have recorded a century of goals in the domestic competition.
Beyond football, Nigerian cricket prospect Kenneth Boniface achieved a major breakthrough at the ICC Under-19 World Cup qualifying tournament in Rwanda in August. He scored his maiden century, making 100 runs off 74 balls against Sierra Leone, and finished the competition with 251 runs in five innings to emerge as its Most Valuable Player.
