Pascal Dozie, Founder of Diamond Bank and First Chairman of MTN Nigeria, Passes Away at 85

Pascal Gabriel Dozie, a very important person in how Nigeria’s money system grew, has sadly passed away at the age of 85. Born on April 9, 1939, in a town called Egbu in Imo State, his smart thinking and strong leadership helped Nigeria’s economy move forward in big ways.

Back in 1990, Pascal Dozie founded Diamond Bank. He started it because he saw that business people in the South-East part of Nigeria needed better banking services. The bank began with a small amount of money, just ₦10 million, and only 21 people owned shares in it. But under his guidance, Diamond Bank grew very quickly.

Mr. Dozie was in charge as the main boss, the CEO, until 2006. That’s when he handed over the job to his son, Uzoma Dozie. Diamond Bank became known for doing things differently and in new ways in the banking world. Later, in 2019, it joined together with another big bank called Access Bank. So, the Founder of Diamond Bank passed away at 85, leaving behind a legacy of innovation in the banking sector.

But Pascal Dozie’s work wasn’t just in banking. He was also the very first chairman of MTN Nigeria. This was a really important time because Nigeria was just starting to let more phone companies operate. Thanks to his leadership, MTN grew incredibly fast and became the biggest mobile phone network in the country. It was a sign of how Nigeria was entering the digital age. Pascal Dozie passed away at 85, having played a crucial role in connecting Nigerians through mobile technology.

Because he always tried to do things well and serve his country, Mr. Dozie received a special national award called the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). This showed how much Nigeria appreciated his hard work and dedication.

His spirit of starting new things and his commitment to building a better Nigeria clearly influenced his family. Three of his sons have now started their own businesses in the world of financial technology, or fintech. They are continuing his work of bringing new ideas to Nigeria’s money system.

One of his sons, Uzoma Dozie, after leading Diamond Bank, started a company called Sparkle in 2019. Sparkle is a mobile-first platform that focuses on small businesses and individuals in Nigeria. It offers different money and lifestyle services to help these businesses grow. Sparkle has been successful and has received over $3.1 million in funding.

Two other sons, Chijioke and Ngozi Dozie, together started Carbon, which is a leading digital bank in Africa. It started as a company that gave out loans but has now grown to offer many other financial services, like payments, investments, and tools to help people manage their money.

The Founder of Diamond Bank has passed away, but his impact on Nigeria’s financial and technological landscape continues through his sons and their ventures. Pascal Gabriel Dozie, a pivotal figure in Nigeria’s financial sector, has passed away at the age of 85, leaving a lasting mark on the nation’s economy.

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