Nigeria’s banking mogul, Co-founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia has been awarded the prestigious Business Leader Award by the Africa -America Institute (AAI) for the 2017 edition of the awards.
The award was conferred on Mr. Ovia during the 33rd Annual Awards Gala of the Institute in New York, USA.
Commenting on the development, Mr. Ovia said he felt “honored to be identified as one of the awardees of the AAI. I have always known over the years of mentoring and empowering a large number of people about 20, 000 people today, one thing they appreciate most is not money, but recognition, so when AAI decide to honour people like myself, truly I prefer being honored than being given moneyâ€.
After gaining degrees at both Southern University and University of Louisiana at Monroe as well as a graduate degree from Harvard Business School, Mr. Ovia has over the last 20 years served as Chief Executive Officer of what is today, Nigeria’s largest bank – Zenith Bank: a banking institution he co-founded in co- founded in 1990 and of which, he is also the current Chairman.
In addition, Jim Ovia is also the board of trustees Chairman of James Hope College, a co- educational boarding school in his native Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria.
Other notable awardees at the AAI awards included, the President of the Republic of Ghana Nana Akufo Addo who was honored with the National Achievement Award.
Founded in 1953, The Africa-America Institute is a premier U.S.-based international organization dedicated to strengthening human capacity of Africans and promoting the continent’s development through higher education and skills training, convening activities, program implementation and management.