This Article Was Last Updated: August 31, 2026 by Oseg Hale
Victor Boniface is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a centre-forward for Bayer Leverkusen and the Super Eagles. Born on 23 December 2000 in Akure, Ondo State, the 25-year-old has built his career through Real Sapphire, Bodø/Glimt, Union Saint-Gilloise, Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen. His biography includes his early life and family, state of origin, football career, transfer history, Bundesliga stats, salary, net worth and relationship with Norwegian influencer Rikke Hermine Jensen. Boniface returned to Bayer Leverkusen for the 2026/27 season after his loan at Werder Bremen ended.
Victor Boniface Profile
| Detail | Information |
| Full name | Victor Okoh Boniface |
| Date of birth | 23 December 2000 |
| Age | 25 years |
| Birthplace | Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria |
| State of origin | Ondo State |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Position | Centre-forward |
| Preferred foot | Right |
| Height | 1.90m |
| Weight | 97kg |
| Current club | Bayer Leverkusen |
| Shirt number | 22 |
| National team | Nigeria |
| Contract expiry | 30 June 2028 |
| Market value | €5 million |
| Highest market value | €45 million |
Transfermarkt lists Boniface’s market value at €5 million following its 27 May 2026 update. His highest recorded market value was €45 million.
Victor Boniface Early Life, Family and Education
Victor Boniface was born in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria, and grew up with his grandparents in a military barracks. His grandmother, Lucy Okoh, supported his early football development and enrolled him at an academy in Akure.
His parents are Mr and Mrs Okoh Boniface. Boniface attended T-Chris International School in Akure, where youth coach Blessing Johnson noticed his football ability during a school scouting competition. He later developed through Royal Gold Soccer Academy in Akure and Real Sapphire in Lagos.
Boniface is from Ondo State in south-western Nigeria and was born in Akure, the state capital. His early years in Nigerian grassroots football eventually led to his move to Europe in 2019.
Victor Boniface Football Career
Boniface moved from Nigerian youth football into European football through Bodø/Glimt in Norway, Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium and Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.
Victor Boniface at Bodø/Glimt
Boniface joined Bodø/Glimt in 2019 after leaving Real Sapphire. He made 66 appearances and scored 23 goals for the Norwegian club between 2019 and 2022. He won the Norwegian league title in 2020 and 2021.
His time in Norway included two anterior cruciate ligament injuries, which interrupted his development and kept him out of action for extended periods.
Victor Boniface at Union Saint-Gilloise
Boniface moved to Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium in 2022 and scored 17 goals in 51 appearances before leaving for Bayer Leverkusen.
The 2022/23 UEFA Europa League campaign brought one of the biggest achievements of his Belgian spell. Boniface scored six goals and finished as joint top scorer alongside Marcus Rashford. He also scored twice against Bayer Leverkusen in the quarter-final tie.
Victor Boniface at Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen signed Boniface from Union Saint-Gilloise on 22 July 2023. He received the number 22 shirt and signed a contract running until 30 June 2028.
Boniface scored 14 Bundesliga goals in 23 appearances during his first league campaign and helped Leverkusen win its first Bundesliga title. He also contributed to the club’s DFB-Pokal triumph and won the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season award after receiving four Rookie of the Month awards during the campaign.
Bayer Leverkusen’s current player profile lists Boniface with 61 appearances, 32 goals and 11 assists for the club.
Victor Boniface at Werder Bremen
Boniface joined Werder Bremen on loan from Bayer Leverkusen for the 2025/26 season. A knee injury required surgery in 2026 and restricted his appearances during the campaign.
His loan ended in June 2026, after which he returned to Bayer Leverkusen for the 2026/27 season.
On 18 July 2026, Boniface scored twice in Bayer Leverkusen’s 7-0 friendly win over Sportfreunde Baumberg. He scored in the 49th and 53rd minutes after entering the match for the second half.
Victor Boniface Transfer History
| Transfer | Year | Details |
| Real Sapphire → Bodø/Glimt | 2019 | Moved from Nigerian football to Norway |
| Bodø/Glimt → Union Saint-Gilloise | 2022 | Initial fee of €2 million |
| Union Saint-Gilloise → Bayer Leverkusen | 2023 | Transfer fee recorded by Transfermarkt at €22.6 million |
| Bayer Leverkusen → Werder Bremen | 2025 | Loan |
| Werder Bremen → Bayer Leverkusen | 2026 | Returned after loan |
Transfermarkt records the Bodø/Glimt-to-Union Saint-Gilloise deal at an initial €2 million, with a 20% resale participation listed at €4.1 million. It records the Union Saint-Gilloise-to-Bayer Leverkusen transfer at €22.6 million.
Victor Boniface Stats
Bayer Leverkusen’s current profile records 61 appearances, 32 goals and 11 assists for Boniface.
| Club | Period | Appearances | Goals |
| Real Sapphire | Before 2019 | — | — |
| Bodø/Glimt | 2019–2022 | 66 | 23 |
| Union Saint-Gilloise | 2022–2023 | 51 | 17 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2023–present | 61 | 32 |
The Bayer Leverkusen profile provides the club figures for Boniface’s spells at Bodø/Glimt, Union Saint-Gilloise and Leverkusen.
Victor Boniface Bundesliga Stats
Boniface scored 14 Bundesliga goals in 23 appearances during the 2023/24 season. He won the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season award after helping Leverkusen secure the league title.
Victor Boniface Nigeria Stats
Boniface made his senior Nigeria debut against São Tomé and PrÃncipe on 10 September 2023. Transfermarkt currently lists him with 13 senior international appearances and one goal.
Victor Boniface Position, Height and Weight
Boniface plays primarily as a centre-forward. Bayer Leverkusen describes him as a physically strong, fast and technically skilled striker. He is 1.90m tall and weighs 97kg according to the club’s current profile.
His preferred foot is his right foot, while his physical profile allows him to operate as a central attacking player.
Victor Boniface Injuries
Injuries have affected several stages of Boniface’s career. He suffered two anterior cruciate ligament injuries during his time at Bodø/Glimt.
He later experienced injury interruptions at Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen. His knee injury at Werder Bremen required surgery in 2026 and restricted his involvement during his loan spell.
Nigeria Career and AFCON
Boniface received his first senior Nigeria call-up in 2023 and made his Super Eagles debut against São Tomé and PrÃncipe on 10 September 2023. He assisted Samuel Chukwueze after entering the match as a substitute.
He was selected for Nigeria’s squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire but missed the tournament after suffering an injury during preparations. Terem Moffi replaced him in the squad.
Boniface remains part of Nigeria’s senior setup and Transfermarkt lists him with 13 international appearances and one goal.
Awards and Trophies
Boniface’s major honours include:
- Bundesliga: 2023/24
- DFB-Pokal: 2023/24
- Norwegian league: 2020
- Norwegian league: 2021
- Bundesliga Rookie of the Season: 2023/24
- Bundesliga Rookie of the Month: August 2023
- Bundesliga Rookie of the Month: September 2023
- Bundesliga Rookie of the Month: October 2023
- Bundesliga Rookie of the Month: November 2023
- UEFA Europa League joint top scorer: 2022/23
Boniface finished the 2022/23 Europa League campaign with six goals, level with Marcus Rashford at the top of the scoring chart.
Victor Boniface Salary and Contract
Victor Boniface’s exact salary is not published by Bayer Leverkusen. Capology estimates his gross fixed salary for the 2026/27 season at €5.66 million, excluding bonuses.
His estimated figures are:
| Salary Period | Estimated Amount |
| Annual salary | €5.66 million |
| Monthly average | About €471,667 |
| Weekly salary | About €108,846 |
Capology estimates his gross fixed weekly salary at €108,846 and annual salary at €5.66 million for 2026/27.
Boniface’s Bayer Leverkusen contract expires on 30 June 2028.
Victor Boniface Net Worth in 2026
Victor Boniface’s net worth has been estimated at $1.5 million in January 2026, based on factors including his football contracts, market value, sponsorships and investments.
His football earnings form a major part of his income, with Capology estimating his 2026/27 gross fixed Bayer Leverkusen salary at €5.66 million, excluding bonuses. Zonal Sports estimates his annual gross salary at approximately €5.66 million to €6 million.
Victor Boniface Girlfriend, Wife and Personal Life
Victor Boniface has been linked to Norwegian influencer Rikke Hermine Jensen, whom he reportedly met while playing for Bodø/Glimt in Norway. The pair were together for several years and were seen together during Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga title celebrations in May 2024, while Jensen also celebrated the club’s 2023/24 success on social media.
Reports in January 2025 claimed that Victor Boniface and Rikke Hermine had ended their four-year relationship after spending Christmas apart and unfollowing each other on social media. Some reports also linked the alleged breakup to disagreements over marriage and a prenuptial agreement. Neither person provided a direct confirmation of a breakup in the reports cited.
Boniface rejected the breakup reports on 23 January 2025, calling the claims false.
Boniface has kept his personal life away from most football coverage. Nothing confirms that Victor Boniface is married or has children.
Market Value
Transfermarkt values Boniface at €5 million following its 27 May 2026 update. His highest recorded market value was €45 million.
His market value reached €45 million during his Bayer Leverkusen career before falling to the current €5 million valuation.
Jersey Number and Social Media
Boniface wears number 22 for Bayer Leverkusen. The club assigned him the number when he joined from Union Saint-Gilloise in July 2023.
Victor Boniface uses the social media handle @boniface_jrn on Instagram and X, according to reports covering his football career.
