Zenith Bank Plc on Friday, August 15, 2025, celebrated its 35th anniversary with a colourful Chairman’s Dinner at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, bringing together top dignitaries, customers, staff, regulators, and partners in an evening filled with glamour and recognition.
The event featured the presentation of commemorative awards and plaques to pioneer customers and long-serving staff members who have served for 25 years and above, in appreciation of their contributions to the bank’s journey of growth and innovation.
Among the prominent personalities present were Vice President Kashim Shettima, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by his deputy Sir Monday Onyeme.
Also in attendance were Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote, as well as former governors Peter Obi and Udom Emmanuel, himself an alumnus of Zenith Bank.
In her address, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Zenith Bank, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, applauded the Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR, describing him as “the Godfather of modern banking and the Nostradamus of our time, who through sheer tenacity, foresight, and uncompromising integrity transformed a modest vision into the financial powerhouse we celebrate today.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima, an alumnus of Zenith Bank, praised Ovia for his pioneering role in Nigeria’s financial sector. “Long before technology became the bloodstream of global finance, Jim Ovia had already woven it into the DNA of Nigerian banking industry. He introduced innovation not as a fashion but as a philosophy, placing Zenith Bank on a path where excellence is not an ambition but a standard. Yet his true signature is not only on the balance sheet. For Jim Ovia, the people make an institution. His greatest investment has been in human capital – in transferring his experience and sense of adventure to generation after generation of bankers and investors forged at Zenith Bank,” he said.
Expressing his gratitude, Jim Ovia thanked the bank’s customers, shareholders, regulators, and staff for their loyalty and commitment over the years. He also acknowledged his family for their unwavering support, describing the anniversary as a celebration of resilience, excellence, and innovation.
Founded in May 1990, Zenith Bank has grown from modest beginnings into one of Africa’s leading financial institutions, with branches across Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT, and subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, France, UAE, as well as a representative office in China.
