Born in Kaduna,[1] Babayaro began his playing career at Nigerian side Plateau United, before moving to Belgian club Anderlecht in 1994, and eventually would make a name for himself, quickly gaining first-choice status although still a teenager.

Babayaro set records as the youngest player to make an appearance and to receive a red card in the UEFA Champions League.

The steady form of Wayne Bridge saw Babayaro start only four FA Premier League matches for Chelsea in 2004–05 under new manager José Mourinho.

On 10 February 2007, after a 2–1 win over Liverpool, then-Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder revealed that just 12 hours before kick-off, Babayaro had called him saying his younger brother David had died from tuberculosis.

[12] Due to his many injury problems it was mutually decided, on 10 December 2007, that Babayaro should be released from his contract with immediate effect and a compensation figure was agreed.

[13] In January 2009, former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd described Babayaro as a "disgrace" who "didn't pull his weight" during a televised BBC interview.

Thinking that he had arrived at sort of an American superclub that only a year earlier gave David Beckham what was widely reported to be the $250 million contract, Babayaro was agitated by what he considered to be "shabby" accommodations – from having to fly in the economy class to sharing a hotel room on the road.

[16] His lack of commitment in training and preseason games[citation needed] reflected those feelings, and he soon got on Gullit's and club president and general manager Alexi Lalas's bad side.

On 3 March, Babayaro was waived by the Galaxy after playing only 45 minutes in a preseason friendly against FC Seoul, receiving a yellow card and conceding a penalty in the process.

[20] After being part of the victorious Nigerian team at the Under-17 World Championships in 1993, Babayaro made his international senior debut in the Afro-Asian Cup of Nations in 1995, against Uzbekistan.

Although never officially announcing his retirement from international football, his final appearance from the national team was against Morocco in a group stage match.