Jim Ovia
- Net worth $600 million
- Birthday November 4, 1951
- Status -
- Country Nigeria
- Source(-s) of wealth Businessman, Entrepreneur
How much is Jim Ovia Worth? Jim Ovia Net Worth in 2026
Jim Ovia’s net worth is estimated at $600 million as of November 2026. On January 1, 2026, his Zenith Bank shares were worth about $266 million at today’s exchange rate. Ten months later they are worth about $506 million, so by our calculation roughly 40 percent of his net worth came from this year’s share price move alone.
| Net worth | $600 million (our estimate, range $450 million to $700 million) |
|---|---|
| Estimated annual income | About $39 million in Zenith Bank dividends after withholding tax (our estimate) |
| Born | November 4, 1951, Agbor, Delta State |
| Age | 75 |
| Country | Nigeria |
| Known for | Founder of Zenith Bank, founder of Visafone and James Hope University |
| Main income sources | Zenith Bank shares and dividends, private companies, property |
How much is Jim Ovia worth in 2026?
We put Jim Ovia at about $600 million, with a plausible spread of $450 million to $700 million. Most of it is one listed stake, so the core of the number is solid: the bank discloses his shareholding and the stock trades every day on the Nigerian exchange. The soft part is everything outside Zenith, which no filing values.
He is eighth on our Top 10 Richest People in Nigeria ranking. Public estimates range widely, from older dollar figures set years ago at very different exchange rates to newer ones that track only the Zenith stake. Ours adds recent dividends and a modest allowance for his other businesses. All naira values convert at ?1,346 to the dollar, the mid-market rate on November 10, 2026.
How we got to $600 million
| Source | Our estimate | What it rests on |
|---|---|---|
| Zenith Bank shares | $506 million | The bank’s half-year statements to June 30, 2026 show 4,145,107,627 shares held directly and 1,656,130,705 indirectly, 5,801,238,332 in all, about 14.1 percent of the bank. At the ?117.50 close on November 9, 2026 that is ?681.6 billion. |
| Recent dividends, after 10 percent withholding tax | $40 million | The ?8.75 final dividend for 2025, approved in May 2026, on 5.80 billion shares is ?50.8 billion, and the ?1.50 interim for the first half of 2026 is about ?8.7 billion. Together ?59.5 billion, less 10 percent tax, is ?53.5 billion. |
| Other businesses and property | $50 million | He founded Visafone, James Hope University in Lagos, licensed in 2021, and Cyberspace Network. No price or valuation for any of them was published, so this row is our assumption. |
| Total | $600 million | Rounded from $596 million. Older dividends are left out because we don’t know how much of them he spent, gave away or put back into shares. |
A 90 percent year for one stock
Zenith opened 2026 at ?61.80 a share. By the end of September it had reached ?134 before dropping to ?119 by October 30, and it closed at ?117.50 on November 9. On his 5.80 billion shares, our calculation is ?358.5 billion at the start of the year and ?681.6 billion now, a gain of ?323 billion, or about $240 million at today’s rate. That is 40 percent of our $600 million total, earned in ten months on the same share count.
The swings are large in dollars too. October alone took about ?87 billion off the stake. A 20 percent move in the share price, smaller than its gain so far this year, shifts our total by about $100 million, which is why the range is wide.
Dividends worth more than a salary
For the 2025 financial year Zenith paid ?10 a share in total, ?1.25 at the half and ?8.75 at the end. At his current holding that is ?58 billion a year before tax, or about $39 million after the 10 percent withholding, by our calculation. The interim for the first half of 2026 rose 20 percent to ?1.50 a share.
He has also been adding shares. One report says he bought ?14.8 billion of Zenith stock in December 2025, about $11 million at today’s rate.
Leaving the board after 36 years
Ovia founded Zenith Bank in 1990 after studying business administration at Southern University in Baton Rouge and earning an MBA from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He left the board in spring 2026 (Nairametrics gives April 29, another report says he stepped down as chairman on May 5), and the May 2026 annual meeting ratified Mustafa Bello as his successor. Keeping the shares while giving up the chair means his wealth now rides on the bank’s results without him running it.
Outside banking he founded Visafone, chairs Cyberspace Network and set up James Hope University in Lagos, where he is chancellor. He received the Freedom of the City of London in 2025.
What would move the figure
Zenith’s share price and the naira do almost all the work: every ?10 move in the stock changes our total by about $43 million. The bank’s full-year 2026 results and final dividend are the next big event. A sale of any of his private companies, or a published valuation of them, would replace our $50 million assumption with a real number.
Jim Ovia net worth FAQ
What is Jim Ovia’s net worth?
We estimate $600 million as of November 2026. About $506 million of it is his Zenith Bank stake at the November 9, 2026 close.
How many Zenith Bank shares does Jim Ovia own?
5,801,238,332 shares as of June 30, 2026: 4,145,107,627 directly and 1,656,130,705 through companies. That is about 14.1 percent of the bank.
How much does Jim Ovia earn in dividends?
About ?58 billion a year before tax at Zenith’s 2025 payout of ?10 a share, or roughly $39 million after the 10 percent withholding tax.
Is Jim Ovia still chairman of Zenith Bank?
No. He stepped down in spring 2026, and Mustafa Bello succeeded him as chairman. He kept his shares.
When did Jim Ovia found Zenith Bank?
In 1990. He stayed on its board for 36 years and stepped down as chairman in 2026.
How old is Jim Ovia?
He is 75, born November 4, 1951, in Agbor, Delta State. He studied in the United States, earning an MBA in 1979.
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How we estimate net worth
Our estimates are based on public reporting, company valuations, and deal and earnings figures all compiled in an internal valuation model. They are approximate, and figures change over time as new information emerges.
Last updated: November 2026.
Photo: Yusuf Muhammed Thanni / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped