Introduction

Jimoh Ibrahim is a Nigerian lawyer, politician, businessman and philanthropist who is now the senator-elect for Ondo South Senatorial District.

He is the chairman and chief executive officer of Global Fleet Group, a diversified conglomerate based in Nigeria, with business interests and subsidiaries in neighboring West African countries. In July, 2022, he was awarded a doctorate degree in Business by the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. This makes him the first doctorate degree holder in Business from the same university since it was first established in 1209.
He has authored three books and is the father of four children. He is also the publisher of the National Mirror Newspaper in Nigeria.

Profile

D.O.B – February 24, 1967

Home town: Igbotako

LGA – Okitipupa

State – Ondo

Business interests – Hospitality, Oil and Gas, Insurance, Education, Real estate

Spouse(s) – Modupe, Biodun

Education

Jimoh Ibrahim attended the Saint John’s school in Igbotako, Ondo State, for his elementary and secondary studies. He received his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Nigeria’s Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile Ife, Osun State.

Subsequently, he obtained the degree of Master of Public Administration (MPA), also from Obafemi Awolowo University. Later, he attended Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, graduating with a combined Master of Laws (LLM) and Master’s In International Taxation degree.

Career

As an undergraduate, Jimoh advocated organizing seminars on law for all Nigerian local governments in order to teach them how to write their own laws. Upon learning that only the federal and state governments had laws, he made this decision.

According to rumours, he made a tidy sum of money by holding lectures in all of Nigeria’s local governments. He learned that the government was having difficulties recouping its withholding tax from large international oil firms.

With this information, he devised a plan to assist the government in recouping billions of dollars in unpaid withholding tax from global oil firms. So, he got the green light for his plan and maintained his word to get the money back and make some money in the process.

In addition, Jimoh served as a tax consultant for the IMF and was a member of the Harvard team that advocated for tax reform in Bangladesh.

Business Establishments

Global Fleet Group has the following subsidiary companies, among others include:

• Air Nigeria – Lagos, Nigeria – Formerly Virgin Nigeria
• NICON Insurance – Lagos, Nigeria
• Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation – Lagos, Nigeria
• NICON Luxury Hotel – Abuja, Nigeria – Formerly Le’ Meridien Hotel
• Global Fleet Oil & Gas – A chain of gasoline stations (estimated at about 200 in 2011), across Nigeria
• The NICON Group – Lagos, Nigeria – Holdings include investment companies, schools, real estate holdings, transport companies and others
• Global Fleet Building – Lagos, Nigeria – Formerly Allied Bank Building
• Meidan Hotel – Lagos, Nigeria
• Global Fleet Industries – Lagos, Nigeria – Formerly HFP Industries Limited
• Energy Bank – Accra, Ghana – A new commercial bank in Ghana, started operations in February 2011
• Oceanic Bank São Tomé – São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe – Commercial bank purchased from Oceanic Bank in May 2011.
• Newswatch Magazine – Lagos, Nigeria

Apart from his investments in Nigeria, the owner of NICON Luxury Hotel also invested heavily in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he lives with his second wife Biodun.

In March 2020, he led other dignitaries to commission his private institution called Fortune University at his home town in Ondo State. Some people refer to the institution of learning as Jimoh Ibrahim University.

Politics

In 2003, Jimoh Ibrahim mounted an unsuccessful bid to become the governor of Ondo State, on the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) ticket.

In April 2022, the business mogul, formally declared his intention to run for the Ondo South Senatorial District on the platform of the APC.

Ibrahim made the announcement this week in Igbotako, Okitipupa Local Government Area, Ondo State, in Nigeria’s southwestern region, after meeting with APC leaders and chieftains in Wards 1 and 2 of Igbotako.

Global Achievement (Awards & honours)

Ibrahim has been conferred two awards by Presidents of the Federal Republic of Nigeria:

• Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic OFR
• Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic CFR

Honorary Doctorate degrees:

• Doctor of Business Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife Oyo State, Nigeria
• Doctor of Letters, Ondo state University. Ado Ekiti. Nigeria
• Doctor of Letters, Covenant University, Ota Ogun State, Nigeria
• Doctor of Science, Ladole Akintola University, Ogbomoso, Nigeria