Last week we featured an article on Igbo money and Nnewi money. In this article, we will look at the Richest Men and Women of Igbo extraction. Across Igboland, we have millionaires and billionaires, in huge numbers. Igbo men are known for their industrial attitude and flair for business, and have been reportedly dubbed the most intelligent race by a U.S survey. Their penchant for business and anything that brings in money explains why quite a number of them are very wealthy. Here are a few of them in no particular order:
Leo Stan Ekeh
A successful businessman from Ubommiri, Mbaitoli Imo state. He is the founder of Zinox Group, involved in high tech and the manufacturing of computers and other computer-based devices. He is also the chairman of Konga.com, his net worth is estimated to be $1 billion.
Arunma Oteh
Once the treasurer and vice president of the world bank (2015-2018), Arunma is from Abia state. She made her mark in the world of finance and business. She was the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Nigeria (2010-2015). She has moved on to become an academic scholar with St Anthony’s College, Oxford University.
Mrs. Oteh’s net worth has been speculated to be around $400 million.
Top Five (5) Richest Women In Nnewi
Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma
A Nigerian investor and business magnate from the famous town of Nnewi, Anambra state, Chukwuma is the founder and CEO of the Innoson Group, an umbrella term which includes the Innoson Vehicle manufacturing company which is the first indigenous automobile manufacturing company in Nigeria. He is also into other business ventures like the manufacturing of tyres and tubes, plastics, and others.
Mr. Chukwuma’s net worth is estimated to be $1 billion.
Stella Chinyelu Okoli
A Nigerian pharmacist and entrepreneur, Chinyelu Okoli is another Nnewi-descent billionaire. She is the founder and CEO of one of the leading Pharmaceuticals manufacturing companies in Nigeria, Emzor Pharmaceuticals. Stella Okoli who started out with a pharmacy retail shop went on to build Emzor pharmaceuticals which have since grown over the years to become a major drugs company.
She is currently estimated to be worth over $800 million.
Cosmos Maduka
A business tycoon extraordinaire once featured on Forbes Africa as the man who turned $0 to $500 million. Founder and chairman of Coscharis Group, an indigenous conglomerate with diverse interest in Manufacturing, ICT, Petrochemical, Auto care, and Auto Components, Automobile Sales and Services, Agric and Agro-Allied business sectors, Cosmos Maduka is also from the famous town of Nnewi known for its riches.
Coscharis is the sole distributor of BMW importation rights in Nigeria and the first company to build an Assembly Plant of Ford Ranger in Nigeria. He is a leading distributor of luxury cars including range rover, Ford, and Jaguar. His current net worth is estimated at around $800 million.
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Pascal Gabriel Dozie
Founder of Diamond Bank (now dissolved into Access Bank), and Chairman of Pan-Atlantic University, Pascal Dozie is an Imo State-born businessman and entrepreneur. He was a one-time president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, was a chairman in MTN Nigeria Group where he still owns sizeable shares.
He is worth around $1 billion.
Cletus Ibeto
Included in the Igbo Richest Men is Cletus Maduagwu Ibeto. Like a couple of people on this list, he hails from the industrial town of Nnewi. Ibeto heads the largest business enterprise, Ibeto Group headquartered in Nnewi town which is known for its many individually-owned enterprises.
Ibeto Group is involved in the manufacturing of oil lubricants and other oil products. At the same time, Ibeto Hospitality, a branch of Ibeto Group, consists of many hotels situated in many Nigerian states. Additionally, Cletus Ibeto’s other business includes holdings in banking and finance, and real estate.
His net worth is estimated to be around $3.8 billion.
Arthur Eze
The oil mogul from Anambra state is the CEO of Atlas Oranto Petroleum, the largest privately held Nigerian exploration and production group. Ranked one time as the 8th wealthiest man in Africa, his oil and gas conglomerate, Atlas Oranto Petroleum, covers business activities in a vast number of African countries, among them Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, etc.
His net worth is estimated at $5.8 billion.
Orji-Uzor Kalu
Former governor of Abia state, Orji-Uzor Kalu is a businessman and politician.
Among the Igbo Richest Men also is Sir Emeka Offor. He is the founder and chairman of Chrome Group. He is a known oil magnate and philanthropist who is into several businesses.
The Anambra-born businessman is estimated to worth $5.8 billion.
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