George Akpabio

{{short description|Nigerian professional footballer (born 1992)|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = George Akpabio

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = George Akpabio

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1992|11|16}}

| birth_place = Jos, Nigeria

| height = 1.85 m

| position = Striker

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Plateau United

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 =

| youthyears3 =

| youthclubs3 =

| youthyears4 =

| youthclubs4 =

| years1 = 2011–2012

| clubs1 = Plateau United

| caps1 = 30

| goals1 = 18

| years2 = 2012–2015

| clubs2 = Ajax Cape Town

| caps2 = 13

| goals2 = 5

| years3 = 2012–2013

| clubs3 = → Vasco da Gama (loan)

| caps3 = 17

| goals3 = 14

| years4 = 2013–2014

| clubs4 = → Chippa United (loan)

| caps4 = 21

| goals4 = 13

| years5 = 2014–2015

| clubs5 = Chippa United

| caps5 = 23

| goals5 = 13

| years6 = 2015–2016

| clubs6 = Yeni Malatyaspor

| caps6 = 20

| goals6 = 6

| years7 = 2016–2018

| clubs7 = Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem

| caps7 = 48

| goals7 = 13

| years8 = 2018–2019

| clubs8 = Bnei Sakhnin

| caps8 = 10

| goals8 = 1

| years9 = 2020–2021

| clubs9 = Al-Nojoom

| caps9 =

| goals9 =

| years10 = 2024–

| clubs10 = Unionville Milliken SC

| caps10 = 18

| goals10 = 11

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| club-update = 23 August 2024

| nationalteam-update =

}}

George Akpabio (born 16 November 1992) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Unionville Milliken SC in the League1 Ontario Championship.

Club career

=Plateau United=

Akpabio made his professional debut for Plateau United during the 2011–2012 season, in which he became the club's all-time leading goal scorer, with 18 goals. He had attracted interest from the Norwegian club Viking FK, however he failed to transfer, since Plateau United were battling relegation, and they refused to let him go.{{cite web|title=Viking target August trials for Akpabio Loute|url=http://www.supersport.com/football/nigeria/news/110712/Viking_target_August_trials_for_Akpabio_Loute|publisher=Super Sport|accessdate=20 August 2012}} In January 2012 Akpabio transferred to the South African club.

=Ajax Cape Town=

Acquired from Plateau United during the Winter transfer window of the 2011–12 season, Akpabio made his debut for Ajax Cape Town on 2 February 2012 against ZESCO, in an International friendly match with the club from Zambia, winning (3–1). He was acquired by Ajax Cape Town in January 2012 as a transfer from Nigerian club Plateau United making 10 league appearances during the second half of the season scoring once.

==Vasco da Gama (loan)==

For the 2012/13 season, Akpabio was loaned to Vasco da Gama, another club from Cape Town playing in the National First Division, making 17 league appearances, scoring 14 times, returning to Ajax Cape Town after serving his loan spell.{{cite web|title=Trio return from loan to Ajax squad|url=http://www.supersport.com/football/africa/news/130612/Trio_return_from_loan_to_Ajax_squad|publisher=Super Sport|accessdate=8 July 2013}}

==Chippa United (loan)==

For the 2013/14 season, Akpabio was loaned to Chippa United, another club from Cape Town playing in the National First Division once again, helping his side to a successful promotion to the top flight during his loan spell.

=Chippa United=

On 5 June 2014 it was revealed that Chippa United had exercised their right to sign the striker, with Akpabio signing a 2,5 year contract with the club.{{cite web|title=George Akpabio Has Signed A Two-Year Deal With Chippa United|url=http://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/leagues/south-african-premier-soccer-league/george-akpabio-has-signed-a-two-year-deal-with-chippa-united/164811|publisher=Soccer Laduma|accessdate=27 October 2014}}

=Yeni Malatyaspor=

On 16 July 2015 it was announced that Akpabio had joined Yeni Malatyaspor, playing in the TFF First League, the 2nd tier of professional football in Turkey.{{cite web|title=George Akpabio Joins Yeni Malatyaspor|url=http://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/categories/south-africa/george-akpabio-joins-yeni-malatyaspor-in-turkey/213669|publisher=Soccer Laduma|accessdate=20 November 2015}}

= Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem =

On 22 January 2017 it was announced that Akpabio signed with Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem to play as striker in Liga Leumit, 2nd professional football league in Israel.{{Cite web|url=http://www.katamon.co.il/news.asp?id=2041|title=ג׳ורג׳ אקפביו חתם בקבוצה - הפועל קטמון ירושלים - קבוצת אוהדים|website=www.katamon.co.il|access-date=2017-04-26}}

Career statistics

=Club=

{{updated|17 June 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://www.mtnfootball.com/africa/south-africa/absa-premiership/players/2012-2013/ajax-ct/george-akpabio.html |title=George Akpabio – MTN Football profile |publisher=MTN Football}}{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/george-akpabio/230004/ |title=George Akpabio profile |publisher=Soccerway |date= |accessdate=28 June 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://eng.football.org.il/Leagues/Pages/PlayerDetails.aspx?PLAYER_ID=188503 |title=George Akpabio Player Profile |publisher=The Israel Football Association|date= |accessdate=17 June 2017}}

colspan=3 \| Club performance ! colspan=2 \| League ! colspan=2 \| Cup ! colspan=2 \| Continental ! colspan=2 \| Other ! colspan=2 \| Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Season	Club	League ! Apps	Goals ! Apps	Goals ! Apps	Goals ! Apps	Goals ! Apps	Goals
colspan=3 \| Nigeria ! colspan=2 \| League ! colspan=2 \| Challenge Cup ! colspan=2 \| Africa¹ ! colspan=2 \| Other² ! colspan=2 \| Total
2010–11	rowspan="1"\|Plateau United	rowspan="1"\|Nigeria Premier League	30	18\|





\|30	18
colspan=3 \| South Africa ! colspan=2 \| League ! colspan=2 \| Nedbank Cup ! colspan=2 \| Africa¹ ! colspan=2 \| Other² ! colspan=2 \| Total
2011–12	rowspan="1"\|Ajax Cape Town	rowspan="1"\|Premier Soccer League	10	1\|





\|10	1
2012–13	rowspan="1"\|Vasco da Gama (loan)	rowspan="2"\|National First Division	17	14\|





\|17	14
2013–14	rowspan="1"\|Chippa United (loan)	21	13\|





\|21	13
2014–15	rowspan="1"\|Chippa United	Premier Soccer League	4	0\|





\|4	0
colspan="3" \|Israel ! colspan="2" \|League ! colspan="2" \|State Cup ! colspan="2" \|Europe ! colspan="2" \|Other² ! colspan="2" \|Total
2017- \|Hapoel Katamon Jerusalem \|Liga Leumit \|17 \|4 \| - \| - \| - \| - \| - \| - \|17 \|4
rowspan="4" \| Total ! colspan="2" \| Nigeria !30\|\|18\|





\|30	18
colspan=2 \| South Africa !52\|\|28\|





\|52	28
colspan="2" \|Israel !17 !4 !- !- !- !- !- !- !17 !4
colspan="2" \| Career total !99\|\|50\|





\|99	50

:Statistics accurate as of last match played on 22 October 2014.{{cite web |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2013/05/18/south-africa/psl/ajax-cape-town/golden-arrows/1356658/ |title=Ajax Cape Town – Golden Arrows |publisher=Soccerway}}

¹ Includes CAF Champions League, CAF Confederation Cup and CAF Super Cup matches.

² Includes Telkom Knockout and MTN 8 matches.