Jim Ovia

He was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in the 50th convocation ceremony of the University of Lagos.

Jim James Ovia (born 4 November 1951) is a Nigerian businessman and author.

Jim James Ovia was born in 1951 into the large family of Obi Olihe of Agbor-Obi, in what is now Agbor, Delta State.

His father died when the boy was four and older siblings helped support their mother and the family.

One elder brother paid for his early education.

Ovia moved to Lagos to live with that brother and started work as a clerk in a bank.

After three years, he traveled to the United States for college and graduate school, earning a B.Sc.

degree in Business Administration from Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (1977), and an MBA from the University of Louisiana, Monroe, in 1979.

He is also an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

He is the founder of Zenith Bank Plc, Nigeria's tier-1 bank and one of the most profitable financial institutions in Nigeria.

He is known as the founder of Zenith Bank in 1990, which is now the country's most profitable bank.

He was a member of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (1999–2007) and served on the board of American International School, Lagos (2001–2003).

Ovia headed numerous NGO's at various times including serving as the first President of the Nigeria Internet Group (2001–2003).

He is the founder and Chairman of Mankind United to Support Total Education (MUSTE), a philanthropic organization focused on providing scholarships for the less privileged.

He is the founder of the Youth Empowerment / ICT Foundation, which focuses on improving the socioeconomic welfare of Nigerian youths by inspiring and motivating them to embrace Information and communication technology.

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.

In 2010, he moved into the chairman role.

He was the recipient of a Nigerian national honor.

Ovia is 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).

He is a member of the Honorary International Investor Council as well as the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI).

He is the Chairman of Cyberspace Network Limited.

In 2018 Ovia published what he described as an "entrepreneurial manual", Africa Rise and Shine.

His memoir also tells about his early life, his business career and how he developed Zenith Bank and other related interests.

In September 2018, Ovia announced the publication of his book Africa, Rise and Shine published with ForbesBooks.

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.