In this post, Platinum Times Nigeria will work you through all you need to know about Jim Ovia.
Jim James Ovia is a Nigerian businessman and author who has been appointed as the chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) by President Bola Tinubu.
He is known to be the founder of Zenith Bank, a giant financial institution operating in Nigeria.
He is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School.
Profile summary
Name: Jim James Ovia
Date of birth: 4th November, 1951
State of Origin: Delta State, Nigeria
Education: Southern University, Baton Rouge
Spouse: Kay Ovia
Religion: Christianity
Career: Businessman, Author
Birth
Jim James Ovia was born on 4th November, 1951 and he hails from Agbor in Delta State, Nigeria.
He lost his father at a tender age and was raised by his mother and elder siblings.
Education
After his elementary and secondary education, he went further to obtain a Bachelor’s degee in Business Administration from Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1977 and an MBA from the University of Louisiana, Monroe, USA in 1979.
He also graduated from the Harvard Business School and a Doctorate degree from the University of Lagos.
Career
Ovia started off as a clerk in a bank while living with his elder brother in Lagos.
He served as a Director at Transcorp Hilton Hotel and was a Member of the Disasters Emergency Committee
He became successful over the years and in 1990, he founded the Zenith Bank Plc which has grown to be among the most profitable financial institutions in Nigeria presently.
He is equally the founder of Visafone Communications Limited and the chairman of both the Nigerian Software Development Initiative (NSDI) and the National Information Technology Advisory Council (NITAC).
Professional affiliations
He is a member of the Honorary International Investor Council as well as the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) and Chairman of Cyberspace Network Limited.
He is a member of the Governing Council of Lagos State University, Lagos and a member of the Board of Trustees, Redeemer’s University For Nations, Lagos.
He served on the board of American International School, Lagos between 2001 to 2003 and was a member of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission between 1999 to 2007.
Apart from his involvement in business, Ovia has authored several books such as Africa, Rise and Shine amongst others
Philantropy
Ovia has been involved in several charitable acts to help support youths and less privileged in Nigeria, some of the foundations he established includes; Mankind United to Support Total Education (MUSTE), an organization focused on providing scholarships for the less privileged.
He is also the founder of the Youth Empowerment / ICT Foundation, which aims to improve the socioeconomic welfare of Nigerian youths by inspiring and motivating them to embrace Information and communication technology.
Appointment
In April, 2024, Ovia was appointed as the chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) by President Bola Tinubu.
Awards
In October 2022, a Nigerian national honor of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) was conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Personal life
Ovia is a Christian and is happily married to Mrs Kay Ovia and their union is blessed with children.
Net worth
Jim Ovia is an established enterpreneur who has acquired good fortune through his diverse investments, his net wealth is estimated to be over $980 million which places him on the list of the influential people in Nigeria.