Top 10 African Goalscorers in Premier League History

Over the past decades, African footballers have become an indispensable force within the Premier League.

Their unique blend of explosive pace, raw power, intricate flair and refined technical skill has not only enriched the aesthetic quality of the game but also significantly elevated the league's competitive spirit. 

Africans’ contributions are evident not just in individual moments of brilliance but in their consistent, high-level performance across all facets of play.

After outlining the top appearance makers, leading goalscorers, key assist providers, goalkeepers with the most clean sheets and the most controversial transfers since 1992-93, Pulse Sports now focuses on the highest-scoring Africans in Premier League history. 

Scorer of 54 Premier League goals, Nwankwo Kanu was a graceful and technically gifted Nigerian forward, celebrated for his elegant style of play, intelligent movement, and moments of unexpected brilliance. 

He was one of the earliest high-profile African players to achieve significant success in the Premier League, joining Arsenal in 1999. 

During his time with the Gunners, Kanu played a crucial role in two Premier League title triumphs (2001-02, 2003-04), notably being part of the legendary "Invincibles" squad that went an entire season unbeaten. 

He also won three FA Cups (two with Arsenal, one with Portsmouth).

Yaya Toure was a dominant and influential central midfielder, renowned for his powerful runs from deep, thunderous long-range shooting and uncanny ability to score crucial goals. 

Toure, who netted 62 goals in the English top flight, was absolutely instrumental in Manchester City's transformative rise to Premier League dominance, playing a pivotal role in securing three Premier League titles (2011-12, 2013-14, 2017-18). 

A standout achievement was his incredible tally of 20 Premier League goals in the 2013-14 season, an exceptionally rare feat for a central midfielder and a direct contribution to a title-winning campaign. 

Toure also won the African Footballer of the Year award four consecutive times (2011-2014), solidifying his status as one of Africa's greatest ever players.

Wilfried Zaha, who scored 68 Premier League goals, is an electrifying winger, celebrated for his exceptional dribbling skills, blistering pace and uncanny ability to win fouls in dangerous areas. 

He is widely regarded as an iconic figure and a true club legend at Crystal Palace, where he spent the vast majority of his professional career. 

Although he briefly moved to Manchester United in 2013, that stint proved largely unsuccessful, and he subsequently returned to Palace, where he consistently performed as their talisman. 

Zaha ultimately represented Ivory Coast at international level, despite having made two friendly appearances for England earlier in his career. 

Zaha's substantial Premier League appearance count (305) and his impressive goal tally (68) were predominantly achieved with Crystal Palace.

With one more goal than Zaha, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (69 goals) was a rapid and clinical forward, widely recognised for his explosive pace, intelligent movement and prolific goalscoring ability. 

Upon his arrival in the Premier League at Arsenal in January 2018, he made an immediate and significant impact, quickly establishing himself as one of the league's most potent attacking threats. 

Aubameyang’s exceptional goal-scoring prowess was highlighted when he shared the Premier League Golden Boot in the 2018-19 season. 

Auba also received two Premier League Player of the Month awards, highlighting his consistent individual brilliance during his time in England. 

While his stint at Chelsea was less impactful, his period at Arsenal cemented his place as one of the top African goalscorers.

Riyad Mahrez (82 goals) is a highly skilful Algerian winger, celebrated for his exquisite dribbling, exceptional creativity and goalscoring from wide positions. 

His Premier League journey is a remarkable tale of success, beginning with Leicester City, where he was instrumental in their astonishing 2015-16 Premier League title triumph, one of football's greatest underdog stories. 

His pivotal role earned him the prestigious PFA Players' Player of the Year award. Following this, Mahrez moved to Manchester City, where he continued to collect major honours, winning multiple Premier League titles (five total: one with Leicester, four with Man City), two FA Cups, three League Cups and the UEFA Champions League. 

Mahrez was also named African Footballer of the Year in 2016.

Affectionately nicknamed "The Yak," Yakubu Aiyegbeni (95 goals) was a powerful and prolific Nigerian striker, celebrated for his formidable strength and clinical finishing inside the penalty area.

His consistent goalscoring distinguished his Premier League career for a variety of clubs, often those outside the traditional "big six." 

Yakubu played for Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton and Blackburn Rovers, becoming a reliable source of goals for each. 

Notably, he became Portsmouth's all-time Premier League top scorer during his tenure, with 16 goals in a single season. 

Yakubu’s career-best Premier League tally came in the 2011-12 season, where he netted 17 goals for Blackburn Rovers. 

The Nigerian’s consistent output made him a valuable asset, particularly for teams seeking a strong, dependable attacking threat.

Emmanuel Adebayor (97 goals) was a tall, athletic and dynamic centre-forward, known for his formidable aerial ability, powerful finishing and impressive work rate. 

Adebayor’s Premier League career was notable for his ability to consistently score goals across multiple high-profile clubs, demonstrating remarkable adaptability. 

He played for Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace, leaving his mark at each. 

Adebayor was recognised for his individual brilliance, notably winning the African Footballer of the Year award once. 

His ability to maintain a strong goalscoring record across different team systems and managerial philosophies highlights his enduring quality and value as a striker in England's top flight during his playing days.  

Didier Drogba (104 goals) stands as an iconic and powerful striker, whose name is synonymous with Chelsea's most successful era. 

He was renowned for his ability to score crucial goals in major finals, earning him a reputation as a big-game player. 

During his two spells at Stamford Bridge, Drogba amassed an impressive trophy haul, including four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups and, most notably, the UEFA Champions League in 2012, where he scored the decisive penalty. 

Individually, he was recognised as the African Footballer of the Year twice and was placed in the top 10 for the prestigious Ballon d'Or trophy on three occasions. 

On the international stage, he was a pivotal captain for the Ivory Coast national team, leading them at three FIFA World Cup finals (2006, 2010, 2014). 

Post-playing career, he made history as the first player-owner in football when he joined Phoenix Rising.

Sadio Mane (111 goals) is a dynamic and electrifying forward, celebrated for his blistering pace, incisive dribbling and clinical goalscoring ability. 

His Premier League journey saw him make a significant impact first at Southampton before becoming a cornerstone of Liverpool's attacking triumvirate. 

Mane was a co-recipient of the Premier League Golden Boot in 2019, a testament to his prolific goalscoring from wide positions. 

His individual brilliance was further recognised when he was voted the 2019 African Footballer of the Year. 

Alongside his club successes, which include winning the Premier League and UEFA Champions League with Liverpool, Mane also led his national team, Senegal, to victory in the African Cup of Nations.   

Mane’s achievement of winning the Premier League Golden Boot in 2019, coupled with Mohamed Salah's multiple Golden Boot triumphs, signifies a unique period of African dominance in the Premier League's top individual scoring award. 

Their formidable partnership at Liverpool, where they consistently led the attack, was a foundational element in the club's resurgence and subsequent period of immense success.

As of August 2025, Mohamed Salah (186 goals) is the only active Premier League player on this list and is widely considered one of the best of his generation. 

Celebrated for his clinical finishing, mesmerising dribbling, blistering speed and exceptional playmaking abilities, Salah’s impact on the Premier League, primarily with Liverpool, has been nothing short of phenomenal. 

He holds the record for most goals by an African player in a single Premier League season, netting 32 goals in the 2017-18 campaign, and stands as the all-time African top goalscorer in Premier League history with 186 goals. 

Salah has also surpassed Sergio Aguero to become the all-time highest-scoring foreign player in Premier League history and shares the record for most Premier League Golden Boots, having won four alongside Thierry Henry.   

Apart from his prolific goalscoring, Salah is also the African player with the most assists in Premier League history, providing 87. 

His playmaking prowess is further highlighted by being the first player to reach double figures for goals and assists before Christmas in the 2024-25 season and the first to achieve 10+ goals and 10+ assists in four consecutive seasons, from 2021-22 to 2024-25. 

Salah’s numerous individual accolades include two PFA Players' Player of the Year awards, three FWA Footballer of the Year awards and two Premier League Player of the Season awards.

The statistics in this article were obtained from the Premier League website and Transfermarkt.