Benjamin Fredrick
Nigerian footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Benjamin Chiemela Fredrick (born 28 May 2005) is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a centre-back for Belgian Pro League club Dender EH on loan from Brentford, and the Nigeria national team.[3]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Benjamin Chiemela Fredrick[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 28 May 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Kaduna, Nigeria | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Central defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Dender EH (on loan from Brentford) | ||
| Number | 22 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Simoiben Football Academy | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2022 | ABS | 10 | (0) |
| 2022–2024 | Nasarawa United | 6 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Brentford (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2024– | Brentford | 0 | (0) |
| 2025– | → Dender EH (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023 | Nigeria U-20 | 11 | (0) |
| 2025– | Nigeria | 6 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11 February 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 23:16, 13 November 2025 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Fredrick is a graduate of the Simoiben Football Academy set up by pro-footballer Moses Simon.[4] Prior to the start of the 2021–22 season he joined ABS FC.[5] He made his debut for them in February 2022 and was given the man of the match award.[6] In October 2022 he was reported to have joined Nigeria Professional Football League side Nasarawa United.[7][8][9] He made his debut for Nasarawa in the NPFL during the 2022–23 season, playing both centre-back and right-back.[10][11]
In August 2023, he signed for Premier League side Brentford on loan with the option to make the deal permanent.[12] He was included in the Brentford first-team match day squad for the first time in January 2024, named as a substitute for an FA Cup tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers.[13] In April 2024, it was reported that Brentford were turning the loan deal into a permanent transfer with Fredrick agreeing to a four-year contract.[14]
On 25 July 2025, Fredrick joined Belgian Pro League club Dender EH on a season-long loan deal.[15]
International career
Fredrick featured for the Nigeria U-20 team that finished third at the 2023 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations held in Egypt in January 2023, playing every minute as his side reached the semi-final.[16][17] In May 2023 he was named in the Nigeria squad for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[18]
Fredrick debuted with the senior Nigeria national team in a friendly 2–2 (4–5) penalty shootout win over Jamaica on 31 May 2025.[19]
In December 2025, Fredrick was ruled out of the Nigeria squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations due to an injury sustained shortly before the tournament.[20]