Nigeria is blessed with outstanding businessmen who have excelled in their chosen fields of endeavour. One of such distinguished personalities is business tycoon, oil mogul, politician and foremost philanthropist, Prince Arthur Eze.
Born into a royal family on the 27th of November 1948 in Ukpo village, Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, Arthur Eze attended St. Augustin Secondary School, Nkwere, Imo State in 1970. After his secondary education where he graduated with flying colours, the young Arthur Eze proceeded to California State University, Long Beach, California where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical and Chemical Engineering in 1978.
Driven by the desire to be a wealth creator and an employer of labour, Prince Arthur Eze founded Atlas Oranto Petroleum Limited in 1991. The company is not just the largest privately owned oil company in Nigeria but the largest holder of oil exploration blocs in Africa.
The company has over 22 oil and gas licences in 12 jurisdictions across the African continent with oil and gas assets in Gambia, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria and Liberia. The company’s technical base is situated in Lagos while its corporate headquarters is located in Nigeria’s federal capital Abuja. In 2010, Atlas Oranto Petroleum made $200 million selling oil blocks in Liberia.
Following the deregulation of the aviation sector in the early 90s, Prince Arthur Eze established Triax airlines in 1992. With a base at the Enugu Airport, Triax Airlines had three B727s until it stopped operations in the year 2000.
Prince Arthur Eze, one of the richest men in Africa is worth over $5.8 billion as of 2021, according to reports.
Driven by his commitment to always give back to society, Prince Arthur Eze has made huge monetary contributions to the development of the nation, communities, groups and individuals. Some of these include the donation of $12 million for the construction of St. Stephen’s Anglican Deanery and Youth Development Center in Otuoke, Bayelsa State in 2013; donation of $800,000 for the construction of two primary schools in Yirol and Rumbek communities in central South Sudan; Donation of N5 million for the construction of a standard sickle cell clinic at the Ukpo, Dunukofia Council Area of Anambra State.
Others include the donation of $6.3 million to the flood relief efforts in Nigeria in the year 2013; donation of $800,000 to Boko Haram victims, construction of a medical research unit for the Nnamdi Azikiwe University; modernization of the local market near the Ukpo palace; construction of road networks linking the Dunukofia clan with neighbouring towns like Abba, Awkuzu, Ifite-Dunu, Abagana and the construction of an overhead bridge in Ebonyi State just to mention a few.
Prince Eze has received several awards and recognition in appreciation of his philanthropic gesture which cuts across all aspects of human life. Some of these include; the conferment of the award of the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 2011; the ‘Zik Leadership Awards’ in the business category, in 2018; the Africa Value Award by Value Reorientation and Developmental Initiative Africa (VARDIAFRICA), in 2018; Outstanding Citizen of the World by Enugu City Centre Rotary District 9142, 2015; Patron of Ndigbo Lagos and adoption into the Ndigbo Lagos Patron Hall of Fame at his 70th birthday among others.
Prince Arthur Eze is happily married and the union is blessed with children.
