The Pepsi Football Academy is a Nigerian

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

academy and was established in November 1992.

History

The Pepsi Football Academy was established in November 1992 by Kashimawo Laloko. Originally based in

Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...

, the initiative secured the total backing of

Pepsi Pepsi is a Carbonated water, carbonated soft drink with a cola flavor, manufactured by PepsiCo which serves as its flagship product. In 2023, Pepsi was the second most valuable soft drink brand worldwide behind Coca-Cola; the two share a long ...

in 1994 and has been titled the Pepsi Football Academy since then. Over the years, it has developed and grown into one of the most prestigious football academies in Nigeria. Today, the academy comprises over 3,000 registered students aged between 6–18 years and operates throughout the year from 14 separate training centres and 54 coaches across Nigeria. Footballers who started their careers at the academy include

Mikel John Obi Mikel John Obi (born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna; 22 April 1987), also known as John Obi Mikel, is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. Mikel began his career with local club Plateau United, before ...

Sunday Mba Sunday Mba (born 28 November 1988) is a Nigerian former Association football, footballer. Club career Mba joined Rangers on loan in May 2013 from Warri Wolves F.C., Warri Wolves. He scored in his Rangers' debut, a 3–1 loss to Clube Recreati ...

Dominic Chatto Dominic Chatto Bashir Jamilu (born 7 December 1985) is a retired Nigerian football midfielder. He has played three times in Nigerian youth teams. Club career Chatto was born in Kaduna, Nigeria. Chatto started playing football in the age of s ...

, Echiabhi Okodugha, Joseph Akpala,

Elderson Echiéjilé Elderson Uwa Echiéjilé (born 20 January 1988) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a left-back for Nigeria national team from 2009 until 2018. He began his career at Bendel Insurance and moved to Europe in 2007, joinin ...

, Soga Sambo, and

Yinka Adedeji Michael Adeyinka Adedeji (born 24 March 1985 in Lagos) is a Nigerian international footballer. He currently plays for Shooting Stars F.C. In 2010, he went on loan to Pyunik F.C. in Yerevan and played in the 2010 Champions League qualifiers a ...

.Pepsi football academy in Nigeria
In 2006, the academy set up a scholarship scheme. As of now, 13 players were awarded scholarships to

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

Notable players

* Joseph Akpala *

*Omololu Oguntayo

References

External links

Official website
(archived 25 August 2018) Football academies in Africa Football clubs in Lagos {{soccer-stub