This Article Was Last Updated: August 31, 2026 by Oseg Hale
Papilo Football Academy is a football academy in Owerri, Imo State, founded around 2000 by former Super Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu, popularly known as “Papilo”. He established the academy to identify talented young footballers and prepare them for professional football in Nigeria and abroad. The academy operates alongside Papilo Football Club (Papilo FC), which has competed in Nigerian football leagues, and trains players mainly in the under-15, under-17 and under-19 age groups.
Location and Address
Papilo Academy operates from Egbu in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, where its training facilities are located within Nwankwo Kanu’s private estate along Egbu-Owerri Road. The academy also maintains registration and enquiry centres in Agege and Ikeja, Lagos. It does not operate a confirmed permanent training centre in Abuja. Because the academy does not publish a fixed street address, applicants should confirm the current training venue or registration centre before travelling.
Papilo Academy Fees
Papilo Academy charges about ₦12,500 for its registration form. Annual training fees are estimated at ₦150,000 to ₦250,000, depending on the admission intake. These fees may cover coaching, training sessions, competition participation, football kits, administration and medical screening. Applicants should confirm the latest fees before making payment.
How to Join Papilo Academy – 2025/26 Form
Joining Papilo Academy starts with contacting the academy through its official phone numbers, email address or social media pages to ask about the current admission exercise, registration period and football trials.
Next, obtain the registration form, complete it with your correct personal details and submit every required document, including your birth certificate or age declaration, passport photographs, parent or guardian information where required, any requested medical report and proof of registration fee payment.
After submitting your application, qualified applicants may receive invitations to football trials, where coaches assess technical ability, fitness and overall performance. Successful candidates then join their assigned age groups and begin regular training.
Contact Details
Applicants can contact Papilo Academy through the following channels:
Phone numbers
- +234 703 844 7147
- +234 806 610 8842
- +234 803 777 9697
- 081 3687 4877
- 081 0054 2144
- 091 6831 6806
- 091 6177 3510
- papilonwankwokanintl@yahoo.com
- info@papilofcacademy.com
Website
- papilofcacademy.com
Social media
X: @fcpapilo
Instagram: @papilofca
Facebook: Papilo FCA
Academy Facilities
The academy provides football pitches, regular coaching sessions, technical drills, tactical coaching, fitness training, practice matches and player scouting programmes that prepare talented footballers for opportunities with clubs and representative teams.
Famous Graduates
Joel Obi is among the academy’s best-known graduates after playing for Inter Milan and the Super Eagles.
Stanley Okoro and Chibueze Izuogu also developed through the Academy before moving into professional football.
Some sources link Chidiebere Nwakali and Kelechi Iheanacho with the academy. However, other accounts identify different youth clubs, so their connection to Papilo Academy remains unconfirmed.
