Meet Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, Nigeria’s First Billionaire Before Dangote

In the 1950s, Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, the first identified Nigerian billionaire, was regarded as the richest person in both Nigeria and Africa.

His estimated net worth at the time was over $4 billion.

Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, the first president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II just before Nigeria gained independence in 1960.

After lending his fleet of trucks to the British during World War II, he received royal honor.

He was so wealthy that the colonial government requested that the Queen be driven around in his Rolls-Royce, which was reportedly the only one in the nation at the time, during her visit in 1956.

Ojukwu, who was profiled in September 1965’s issue of TIME, made money by importing dried fish to resell before branching out into textiles, cement, and transportation.

He established Ojukwu Textiles, Ojukwu Stores, and Ojukwu Transport. He was the Nigerian Stock Exchange Market’s first and founding president.

Additionally, he served as the board chairman for several successful businesses in Nigeria at the time, including Shell and Guinness Nigeria Limited.

He was elected to the legislature during the first republic of the country.

He attended the Hope Waddell Training Institute and a primary school in Asaba.

His son, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, was the leader of the secessionist state of Biafra and a military governor in Nigeria.

He was involved in real estate and was thought to own more than 70% of the landed homes in Lagos.

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