Olisa Ndah Picks Al Shomooa SC Over Sundowns

Super Eagles defender Olisa Ndah has turned down a chance to join Mamelodi Sundowns. He has signed with Libyan club Al Shomooa SC because of their better financial offer.

Ndah agreed to a two-year deal with Al Shomooa. This move ends his five-year stay in South Africa after leaving Stellenbosch at the end of the 2025/26 season.

A source close to Ndah told Footy-Africa that Al Shomooa’s offer was just too good to pass up compared to what Sundowns were offering. “Al Shomooa gave him an offer he could not refuse. It was better than what Sundowns were offering,” the source said.

The 28-year-old defender first came to South Africa in 2021. He moved from Nigerian club Akwa United to join Orlando Pirates. Ndah made 81 competitive appearances for the Soweto club over four-and-a-half years. He won four trophies and gained recognition with the Super Eagles, but injuries and competition for places made it hard for him at the club.

Ndah left Pirates in January 2026 after mutual consent and joined Stellenbosch. Unfortunately, a work permit issue limited him to just seven appearances before his contract ended without an extension.

Sundowns showed interest in him after that, but there were complications due to the Premier Soccer League’s foreign player rules. The source said Sundowns were willing to wait until the end of September, when Ndah could qualify for South African citizenship and avoid the restrictions. Still, the financial offer did not seem worth the wait.

“The offer from Sundowns was not great enough to require that kind of risk from him,” the source told Footy-Africa.

Al Shomooa’s growing reputation helped them win Ndah over. The club has players like South African forward Thembinkosi Lorch and several Nigerians in the Libyan league, which made the opportunity even more appealing.

The source added that Al Shomooa presented Ndah with an ambitious sporting project aimed at challenging for the domestic title. This project appealed to Ndah beyond just the money.

Now Ndah hopes this move to Libya will give him a fresh start after two tough years in South Africa. He wants to use this chance to fight his way back into Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles plans.