Jim Ovia
Zenith Bank
Estimated Net Worth: $2.3 billion
Jim Ovia
Uncluttered by the bureaucracy of established rivals, Jim Ovia set about an aggressive programme of building up accounts with government agencies and the private sector with a dynamic team of young professionals that quickly established a market presence.
Ovia looked to strengthen his relationship with government after the restoration of civilian rule in 1999 and became close to the then president, Olusegun Obasanjo. As with other oligarchs, he raised substantial funds for Obasanjo’s re-election campaign in 2003 and went on to become a trustee of the Obasanjo presidential library and a director of the controversial Transcorp.
Ovia was one of many oligarchs to jump from the board of Transcorp in 2006 when the company, conceived as a Korean-style conglomerate that could compete in a range of industries, became mired in messy controversies.
According to Encomium magazine, Jim Ovia’s net worth is $2.3 billion.
Jim Ovia got his MBA from the University of Louisiana, Louisiana, USA in 1979 and a B. Sc degree in Business Administration from Southern University, Louisiana, USA in 1977. Jim Ovia is also an Alumnus of the Harvard Business School’s Executive Management Program.
Jim Ovia is a motivational speaker and has delivered speeches at several conferences. He has authored several published and unpublished works and he is in the vanguard of promotion and propagation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Nigeria.
Read about other Nigerian billionaires:
Oba Otudeko
Cecilia Ibru
Femi Otedola
Mike Adenuga
Tony Elumelu
Dahiru Mangal
Aliko Dangote
#1 by Dan O. on September 20th, 2009
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Where are all the Governors??? If you want the real corruption stories let’s talk about civil servants who have chopped taxpayer’s money!
#2 by Bode Olusanya on November 8th, 2009
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It’s so funny how a lot of these guys could be valued at $… billion?? How? Or are all these being based on just words of the mouth? It’s so disgusting how we could give recognition to people who rose to limelight/fame through fraudulent acts and lack of accountability. We need to wake up and stop giving these idiots unnecessary attention.
#3 by CHARLES on February 3rd, 2010
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WEL FOR ME i think it is not there fault,it is the system that has made them what there are,and any one will do desame until the sys is corrected,no one is a saint
#4 by CHARLES onuoha on February 3rd, 2010
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well just think positively
#5 by CHARLES onuoha on February 3rd, 2010
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well our system allows for any kind of fake super rich nigeria
#6 by mr mahad yousouf mouhoumed on March 14th, 2010
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subject- we need investment money from youand set a joint venture 50 % and 50% with-
- we have we wish to export frim hon of africa. crude oil ,gaz nauterell,yellow gold, gemstones,sea food,lives stockect..- we advise you to invest you money in djibouti for very good business.
and develop trade with nigeria
.- for presdent we need minimum 500 000.00 usd to ……$10 500 000.00usd
sir
hello are to day.greething we would to do business with you and we need your help and assitance.
we have oil petrol , gaz naturelll,yellow gold,gemstones, precieuse stones,mineral,sea food, lives stock.
we want to set up a joint venture 50 % and 50 % with you sign contact- and we need small invet money from you and yoour bank zennit bank.
i await to hear from you soon.
britishslco@hotmail.com
britishslco ..ltd.-import export commission agent-*- it si a generall trading company register in djibouti city.
adresss.
mr MAHAD YOUSOUF MOUHOUMED TEL + 253 844 777 DJIBOUTI CITY- P.O.BOX 2897 DJIBOUTI CITY- REPUBLIC OF DJIBOUTI-HORN OF AFRICA-
#7 by Isaac Oludayo on June 11th, 2010
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May God bless you for your contribution in
creating a new Nigeria.
I have a great technopreneurial idea that guarantees maximum ROI
beside reducing unemployment and underemployment, ultimately making
Nigeria a producer of technology.
It has been developed after several months of extensive market
research and a comprehensive business plan have been written.
I earnestly look forward to further communication with you in
discussing this great idea.
May we all live to see and enjoy a better Nigeria.
ISAAC OLUDAYO ANTHONY
#8 by noe morgado fernandez on July 31st, 2010
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im need information. true or not
Zenith Bank Plc
Plot 84 Ajose Adeogun Street
Victoria Island, Lagos
Tel:+234-7041-661-187.
Tel:+2341-743-9098
Dear Noe Morgado Fernandez,
How are you today as well as your family? Hope all is well with you.
I have not heard from you for some time now and l will like you to get back to me as soon as possible so that we will know your mind as regards to your fund that is in our custody.
With all due respect Sir,we are working with time and more over,the United Nations Compensation Unit Delegates will be coming to our office to know how far that we have gone with this project and also to cancel the payment of people that are not serious with there own and use it to compensate other people because we are only compensating 220 people.
Awaiting your soonest response.
Regards,
Jim Ovia.
#9 by madamtherea on August 28th, 2010
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Madam theresa
From Cote D’ Ivoire
,
My dear Please reed this mail very well and get back to me to enable us procced.My name is madam Theresa Coleman the wife of Late Chief coleman from sierra leonian in West Africa . I contacted you to know if you can be of help and assist me and my son david over our inheritance deposited for us by my late housband who died as a result of poison from his business associates in Abidjan Cote d Ivoire West Africa After the death of my father I and my son try to seek asylum to refugee camp in Abidjan Cote d; Ivoire . Before the death of my housband he deposited the sum of US$12,500 000.00 with a security company . During the deposit he agreed with the security company that his foreign partner will come for the collection of the money which he deposited and declared with them as family valuables in a trunk box. Due to the agreement he made with the Security company I and my son cannot make this claim without presenting a foreigner who will stand and act on our behalf as the foreign partner to my late housband.
This is why he told me before his death to look for a reliable and trust worthy foreigner who will assist me in this regard if anything wrong happens to him. Now that he have been poisoned to death I and my son are calling for your assistance to help us get this money into your account so that we can have access to the money in your country.Most importantly, during the deposit with the security company,he did not expose the real content of the box as he deposited and declare it as family valuables.So you will not let any body know the real content of the box as only both of us and my son knows the real content of the box. Secondly,
you will also help us to invest the money in your country while me and my son will come over to meet you for business investments which you will advise. In all to be our guardian as we dont have any body now to look after our welfare.Once you get the money into your account you will send some money for us to prepare our travelling documents to meet you in your country, To enable you act on our behalf send to me your current telephone and fax numbers, Full name and address, which I will submit to the security company informing them that you are my housband&s foreign partner and co- beneficiary to this box. Once I receive your next mail i will give you the contact of the security company for you to make contact with them on our behalf. I will also release the certificate of deposit for you so that you will contact them without any mistake. Please we need urgent attention to this problem as all our hope depends in this money to survive in life. For your kind assistance i and my son have resolved to give 25% of the total sum for your kind gesture to assist us in this transaction and you can call my son David on this telephone +22546820947 or you send mail to Please our future is in your hands.
Help us and God will bless you in all.
Waiting for your quick response
Madam Coleman.