Emeka Obi: Forest Green sign Nigeria-England centre-back from Kidderminster in confirmed National League move

Emeka Obi has completed a move to Forest Green from Kidderminster in a confirmed National League transfer, joining the Gloucestershire club on a deal that begins on 2026-07-03 and is scheduled to run until 2027-06-30. The 25-year-old centre-back arrives with dual Nigeria and England nationality and is listed as a free transfer, with the fee recorded as ? and no current market value available.

The move places Obi firmly in the English National League rather than in domestic competition in Nigeria, underlining his continued commitment to pursuing his senior career in England. Forest Green are also registered in the National League, and his arrival comes after a spell in which he had previously been without a club before signing for the Nailsworth side.

Obis transfer is the latest step in a career spent entirely within the English system. Born in Lagos on 06 Jun 2001 and standing at 1.96m, he has been developed as a specialist centre-back, predominantly right-footed and operating through the middle of defence. His main position is recorded as defender centre-back, with no alternative roles listed in the data provided.

Before this switch to Forest Green, Obi was most recently associated with Kidderminster, who also compete in the National League. Prior to that, his senior pathway took him through AFC Fylde and Wigan Athletic, after initial development in several youth set-ups. The data confirms that he left AFC Fylde for free to become unattached, then later secured his new opportunity at Forest Green.

Obis formative years were spent at Bury FC U18, from where he moved to Liverpool FC U18. He then joined Wigan Athletic U18 and subsequently progressed into Wigan Athletics senior ranks. Each of those moves is recorded as a standard transfer within England, reflecting a steady rise through well-regarded academies and into the professional game.

Market value records for Obi show a noted high point during his time with Wigan Athletic U18, when he was valued at 50,000 in late 2019 and again in early 2020. That figure later dropped to zero in May 2020, and there is no updated market valuation attached to his current move to Forest Green, in line with the fee being unspecified.

There are no recent match details, appearance totals or performance statistics provided for either Kidderminster or Forest Green in the current season, and no specific competitive outing can be cited from the available data. Likewise, there is no explicit contract expiry date tied to this transfer beyond the general indication that the agreement is active from 2026-07-03.

Obis confirmed arrival at Forest Green keeps him in the National League and in the visibility of English football, offering him a defined platform within a competitive division to influence his reputation and long-term prospects as a towering, dual-nationality centre-back operating at senior level.