Checkout the Richest Nigerian Men Who Became Billionaires Without A University Degree (Photos)

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Nigeria is one of few African countries prominence is given to acquiring tertiary education. Many families in Nigeria believe acquiring a degree as a precious fit and directly correlated with success in life.

However, there are many cases of wealthy and successful businessmen in Nigeria without a known degree. And they are masters in their chosen endeavours. Some of these people have in their employee’s list, advanced degree holders.


Alhaji Mohammed Indimi told a local new media recently during an interview that he has no education, but supervises Masters and PhD holders.

“Thank God today, as an unlettered person by western standards, I still supervise people with masters and PhDs who are working in my organisation,” Indimi told Premium Times.

“As a matter of fact, if any of my employees wants to approach me with any project proposal or some kind of memo or presentation, they have to be well-prepared and make sure they did their homework well because they know I will definitely point out any error therein.”

Here is the list of such successful businessmen and a commercial magnet that have not been to the four walls of a tertiary institution.

1) Mr Cosmos Maduka 

Cosmos Maduka is an African billionaire who at the age of seven years old dropped out of primary school. He became an apprentice and learnt fundamental business skills from his trade master. He is the founder of Coscharis Group which is the sole distributor for BMW and Ford cars in Nigeria and most of West Africa.

2) Cletus Madubugwu Ibeto

He is the founder of the Ibeto Group which is one of the largest auto spare parts manufacturers in Nigeria. The company also has petrochemicals and cement manufacturing decisions. He also began as an apprentice in the motor parts business before establishing his own company.

3) Vincent Obianodo 

Vincent began as a Vulcanizer in the Northern part of Nigeria and ended up founding Young Shall Grow Motors. At present, he runs a company with many subsidiaries spanning from hospitality to real estate, oil & gas and dredging & quarry.

4) Alhaji Razak Akanni Okoya 

He is the owner and founder of Eleganza group of companies which produces a wide range of household goods and utensils. His only formal education is primary education.

5) Orji Uzor Kalu 

Although he enrolled at the University of Maiduguri, he was soon expelled and did not ever enrol again for a degree. He is the chairman of SLOK Holding and the Daily Sun and New Telegraph newspapers in Nigeria. He also served as the governor of Abia State, Nigeria from May 29, 1999, to May 29, 2007.

6) Olu Benson Lulu Briggs

Mr Briggs is the founder and chairman of Moni Pulo Limited which is an oil exploration and production company. He did not get any further education after primary school due to the lack of funds to do so.

7) Alhaji Mohammed Indimi 

Mohammed Indimi is a Nigerian based businessman who solely founded Oriental Energy and is also the chairman.


Compiled by Pulse