Peter Obi’s Biography – Everything About Peter Obi, Including His Net Worth
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Peter Gregory Obi is a Nigerian politician, businessman, and philanthropist. He was born on July 19, 1961, in Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria. Obi has had a successful career in both the private and public sectors.
Education And Early Career
Obi attended Christ the King College in Onitsha and later proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. He also has an MBA from the University of Lagos.
After completing his education, Obi worked in the banking sector, where he rose to become the chairman of the board of directors of Fidelity Bank PLC. He later resigned to pursue a career in entrepreneurship.
His zeal for more knowledge made him further his education outside the country, where he went to various prestigious schools of the world, such as Harvard Business School, Boston, USA; London School Of Economics, where he studied Financial Management/Business Policy; Columbia Business School where he studied Marketing Management; Institute for Management and Development Switzerland where he acquired two certificates which are Senior Executive Program and Chief Executive Officers Program; Kellogg Graduate School of Management, USA Oxford University and Cambridge.
Political Career
In 2003, Obi contested for the governorship of Anambra State under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) but lost in controversial circumstances. However, in 2006, he was declared the winner of the gubernatorial election following a rerun election, which the court ordered.
Obi served as the Governor of Anambra State from 2006 to 2014, becoming the first governor in Nigeria to serve two terms in office. He focused on improving the state’s infrastructure, education, and healthcare sectors and promoting good governance and accountability during his tenure.
He was widely applauded for his frugal and transparent management of the state’s resources, which earned him the nickname “Okwute” (meaning “Rock” in Igbo). His philanthropic and resourceful nature earned him many awards within and outside the country.
After leaving office in 2014, Obi has played an active role in Nigerian politics, supporting various candidates and causes after serving as the Governor of Anambra for two tenures. Obi contested for the position of vice president of Nigeria in 2019 under the People’s Democratic Party as Atiku Abukakar’s running mate but failed. Though faced with many oppositions, he remained unwithered till the end.
On March 2022, he declared his interest in running for the presidential position under the Labour party. Since then, until the recently completed presidential election, Obi has grown to be a well-recognised public figure with many followers, especially Nigerian youths. Even though he failed in the 2023 Presidential election, He is still the man of the people.
Business and Philanthropy
Aside from his political career, Obi is also a successful entrepreneur and investor. He has interests in various industries, such as agriculture, hospitality, real estate, and telecommunications.
He is the founder of Next International Nigeria Ltd, which is involved in the importation and distribution of computer accessories, and the chairman of the board of directors of several other companies.
Obi is also a philanthropist and has participated in several charitable causes. He founded the Peter Obi Foundation, which focuses on education, healthcare, and youth empowerment. He has also donated generously to several educational institutions, including his alma mater, Christ the King College, Onitsha.
He worked with several companies, which include Next International Nigeria LTD, Guardian Express Mortgage Bank LTD, Guardian Express Bank LTD, Future View Securities LTD, Paymaster Nigeria Ltd, Chams Nigeria LTD, Corps LTD And Cards Centre LTD but to mention a few.
President Goodluck Jonathan was appointed Chairman of the Security and Exchange Commission(SEC) during his tenure.
Peter Obi also has membership in top-rated bodies, including the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), the Nigerian Chartered Institute of Bankers, and the British Institute of Directors (IOD).
Peter Obi Awards And Recognitions
Peter Obi has won numerous awards for his noteworthy efforts in the business and political spheres. Some of his awards and recognitions include;
- Man of the Year, Sun Newspaper, 2007
- Most Prudent Governor in Nigeria, Thisday Newspaper, 2009
- Nigeria’s Most Trustworthy Governor, Champion Newspaper, 2009
- Governor of the Year, West Africa ICT Development Award, 2010
- Zik Leadership Prize, 2011
- Best Performing Governor on Immunization in South-East Nigeria, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2012
- 2012 Ezeife Leadership Foundation Award for Leadership and Good Governance
- Golden Award on Prudence, Methodist Church of Nigeria, 2012
- Man of the Year, Business Hallmark Newspaper, 2012
- Man of the Year, Silverbird, 2013
- The Voice Newspaper, 2014, “Award for Outstanding Example in Leadership and Governance”
- Most Outstanding Igbo Man of the Decade, Champion Newspaper, 2014
- Golden Merit Award, Nigerian Library Association, 2014
- Golden Jubilee Award, Catholic Diocese of Onitsha, 2015
Peter Obi’s Personal Life
Margaret Brownson Usen and Peter Obi were united in marriage in 1992, and as a result, they have two children together: Gabriella Nwamaka Frances Obi and Gregory Peter Oseloka Obi. He has been noted to be a wonderful husband and father to his two kids. He also has a strong Catholic faith.
Peter Obi’s Wife
His spouse is Margaret Brownson Usen, formerly Margaret Obi and Margaret Brownson Usen. 1992 saw the couple’s wedding. Margaret is the driving force behind her husband’s National Gender Affirmative Action, which made sure that at least half of the seats in Obi’s cabinet were filled by women.
Despite her intelligence, Margaret is renowned for her humility. She hid this quality while working tirelessly and covertly to boost her husband’s government’s popularity. It is also well known that she has an unwavering commitment to the welfare of kids and women.
Peter Obi’s Net Worth
The estimated worth of Peter Obi is $10 million. He owns several retail properties and reports claim that his family runs a chain of supermarkets in Lagos, Anambra, and Abuja. He may also have stock in various financial services firms, including banks and stock brokerages.
Peter Obi reportedly owns a house in London and a mansion in the Anambra state. According to the Pandora Papers, he has an undisclosed sum of money invested in the US Virgin Islands.
Peter Obi is not known for being a fan of expensive cars, but when he was the governor of the state of Anambra, he was frequently seen being driven around in a Mercedes G Wagon.
Allowances And Earnings That Contribute To Peter Obi’s Net Worth
There is no denying that Peter Obi and other Nigerian politicians currently rank among the richest people in the world. A state governor receives an annual leave allowance of 222,370.50 and an average salary of 11,540,896 per year; the exact amount he earned as governor is unknown.
Peter Obi Achievements
- He was the first candidate for governor in Nigeria to legally challenge his denial of the governorship election all the way to the end. He regained his mandate after winning in court.
- He was the first governor in Nigeria to challenge his illegal impeachment in court, and the courts restored him to office.
- When INEC permitted elections in Anambra State while his tenure had not ended, he was the first governor in Nigeria to request an interpretation of governors’ terms of office. The election that had already taken place was cancelled, and he was given the opportunity to complete his term.
- Nearly 40 years after the founding of the State, he was the first governor to serve a second term in both the new and old Anambra States.
- He was the first Governor to be named a Special Adviser to the President while still in office.
- He joined the Presidential Economic Management Team as the first governor who was still in office.
- While still in office, he was one of the first governors to receive a national award in 2011.
- He was twice elected Vice-Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum despite being the only Governor whose political party held office in only one State.
- Despite being the only non-PDP Governor in the South-East (which consists of 5 States), he was chosen by the other 4 PDP Governors to serve as their Chairman for 8 years, as opposed to the typical one.
