L-R: Najeeb Yakubu, Yaw Annor, Ibrahim Salifu and Samuel Asamoah play for other African nations
GhanaWeb Feature by Benjamin Sackey
In pursuit of international football, many players have switched allegiance from their birth countries to play for other national teams.
Ghana is no exception to this trend, as 10 players born in the country and played for local clubs have changed their nationalities.
Four now play for Togo, three represent Niger, while the rest feature for other African nations.
This GhanaWeb feature spotlights these 10 players and the reasons behind their switch.
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Ibrahim Salifu
The former Accra Hearts of Oak captain officially switched his nationality to join the Benin national team in 2025.
He previously featured for Ghana B also known as the CHAN team while playing for the Phobians. After failing to earn a call-up to the Black Stars, his switch was confirmed when he was named in Benin’s squad for the November 2025 international break.
Baba Alhassan
He was included in Uganda’s national team squad for international friendlies against Chad and Morocco, marking his first call-up to the Cranes.
He reportedly switched nationality to represent Uganda, the country of his maternal roots.
Yaw Annor
The former AshantiGold SC forward and Ghana Premier League top scorer earned a call-up to the Togo national team in September 2022 after switching his nationality from Ghana.
He is eligible to represent Togo through his mother, who is fully Togolese.
Emmanuel Hackman
Born in Ghana, Emmanuel Hackman is now a Togolese international and has played for Togo since his debut on March 24, 2022.
He switched allegiance after not receiving a Black Stars call-up and was eligible through his Togolese mother.
Kennedy Boateng
Kennedy Boateng switched nationality from Ghana to Togo in March 2022, making his debut for the Hawks despite previously playing for Ghana’s U-20 team.
He began his career at WAFA SC before joining Austrian Bundesliga club LASK Linz in 2016, later moving to SV Ried.
Salim Abubakar
Abubakar, who was born in Ghana is of Nigerien descent. He was called up to the Niger U-23 team for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, making one appearance.
In September 2023, he joined the senior Niger national team for AFCON 2023 qualifiers.
Daniel Sosah
Daniel Sosah, born in Ghana, switched nationality to Niger, where he was naturalised and now plays for the national team.
He cited a difficult experience with the Ghana Football Association and a lack of call-ups as reasons for his decision.
Najeeb Yakubu
The former Ghana U-17 defender said lack of recognition and support from Ghana influenced his decision to represent Niger. He played a key role in Niger’s 2–1 win over Ghana during the AFCON 2025 qualifiers.
Emmanuel Keyekeh
Keyekeh switched nationality from Ghana to Tanzania, making him eligible to represent the Taifa Stars.
He played for Tanzanian club Singida Black Stars and completed all procedures for the switch. Despite impressive performances in Ghana with clubs like Unistar Academy, Karela United, Samartex, and Kotoko, he never received a Black Stars call-up.
Samuel Asamoah
Asamoah accepted an invitation from the Togo national team after being persistently overlooked by Ghana.
Born to a Ghanaian father and a Togolese mother, Asamoah expressed a desire to play for the Black Stars but ultimately chose to represent the Sparrow Hawks for a chance at international football.
SB/JE
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