Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi have paid tribute to Pascal Dozie, the founder of Diamond Bank, who passed away on April 8, 2025, just a day before his 86th birthday.
Dozie’s contributions to Nigeria’s economic architecture, particularly in the banking and telecommunications sectors, have been celebrated by these leaders.
President Tinubu described Dozie as a “rare breed business leader” whose pioneering efforts laid a foundation for many to build upon, while Obasanjo commended Dozie’s humility and humanism, highlighting his entrepreneurial acumen in creating thousands of jobs for Nigerians.
Peter Obi, meanwhile, described Dozie as an inspiring business leader and a true gentleman who sought the good of all.
Dozie founded Diamond Bank in 1990, which grew into a leading financial institution before merging with Access Bank in 201 and also played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector as the founding chairman of MTN Nigeria, overseeing its emergence as the country’s largest telecom provider.
