Igho Sanomi

Last updated

Igho Charles Sanomi
IghoCharlesSanomi.jpg
Sanomi in 2013
Born (1975-05-17) 17 May 1975 (age 49)
Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria
Occupation(s)Businessman and geologist
Known forfounding Taleveras
Website ighosanomi.com

Igho Charles Sanomi (born 17 May 1975) is a Nigerian billionaire businessman, geologist, public speaker and philanthropist with business interests in oil, power, logistics, telecommunications, the maritime industry, aviation and real estate.[ not verified in body ]

Contents

Background

Igho Charles Sanomi II was born in Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria, the fifth child and first son of a Catholic family. [1] His father, Dickens Ogheneruemu Patrick Sanomi, was the second national vice-president of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) and a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in the Nigeria Police Force. [2] [3] [4] His mother, Mabel Iyabo Sanomi, is a yeye jemo (tribal chief) of the Isotun Ijesha kingdom in Osun State in south-western Nigeria and a former nurse. Sanomi received a bachelor's degree in geology and mining from the University of Jos, Plateau State, in Nigeria's Middle Belt. [5]

Career

Sanomi founded Taleveras Group (a Nigerian energy-trading company) in 2004. According to Forbes , Taleveras

... trades over 100 million barrels of crude oil as well as several million tons of gasoline, LPG and jet fuel. In April 2012, Taleveras acquired production sharing contracts (PSCs) for three offshore oil blocks in Ivory Coast. In June 2013, Taleveras sold a 65% stake in one of its Ivorian offshore upstream projects to Lukoil of Russia for an undisclosed price. Taleveras also owns a stake in a power distribution firm in Nigeria. [6]

Venture-Africa, a bimonthly Pan-African business magazine about African capitalism, described the group as

... trading close to a billion barrels of crude oil and millions of tons of condensates, gasoline, jet fuel, condensates and LPG every year. Taleveras also owns substantial stakes in two oil blocks in Nigeria as well as lucrative production sharing contracts (PSCs) in three offshore oil blocks in Ivory Coast. The group Power subsidiary constructs electrical substations in Nigeria and recently acquired a majority stake in the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company. Taleveras has an annual turnover of several billions of dollars. Igho Sanomi is the controlling shareholder of the group." [7]

On 30 July 2013, Taleveras Group acquired Afam Power. [8] [9] It was one of the Nigerian companies reportedly awarded oil-lifting contracts in the federal government's bid, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), to award nearly half of the 2012–2013 lifting contracts (worth $60 billion) to indigenous companies—promoting local content and "downsizing contracts awarded to international oil traders". [10]

In October of that year, Taleveras Group signed a technical agreement with Alstom Group for the rehabilitation and expansion of the 776-megawatt Afam power plant in Rivers State. Patrick Kron, chairman and chief executive (président-directeur général) of the French engineering conglomerate, signed the agreement with Taleveras Group during his visit with Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, Nigerian business leaders and members of the international business community in Lagos, Nigeria. [11] [12] [13]

Philanthropy

Sanomi and his siblings founded the Dickens Sanomi Foundation (DSF) in 2011 to commemorate the life of their father, and he is the foundation's chairman. The DSF, funded by Taleveras Group and the Midel Group, limits its activities to Nigeria. [14]

Essay competition

In 2014, the Dickens Sanomi Foundation began sponsoring an annual essay competition open to all Nigerian secondary-school pupils. [15] The competition, which has attracted as many as 250 entries, is divided into junior and senior secondary-school students. The first prize for the winner of each group is a scholarship, and the schools attended by the winners receive grants for facilities such as computer equipment. [16]

Flood aid

The foundation's Project Rescue 10,000 Flood Victims aided about 12,300 people displaced by floods which ravaged communities in Delta State in October 2012, donating food and relief material worth millions of naira to flood victims at settlements in the Ughelli, Ewu, Arhavwarhien, Orere and Okparabe communities and the Ughelli North and South local government areas of Delta State. [17] According to a Vanguard report, "The displaced persons were rescued in 500 seater engine and speed boats from communities in Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Patani, Isoko North, Isoko South and Burutu Local Government Areas of Delta State and were subsequently taken to some government designated camps". [18] This Day 's society editor, Lanre Alfred, wrote: "The Dickens Sanomi Foundation gave out a comprehensive funding package worth over ₦100 million to flood victims in Delta and Bayelsa State, as part of its intervention programme to mitigate the effects of the devastating flood on the people". [19]

Non-governmental organisations

Sanomi and England football coach Roy Hodgson at a Bobby Moore Fund event in London Igho Sanomi and Roy Hodgson, England Football Coach at Bobby More Fund for Cancer Research Event, London.jpg
Sanomi and England football coach Roy Hodgson at a Bobby Moore Fund event in London

Through the Dickens Sanomi Foundation, Sanomi has reportedly pledged a "substantial grant" to the Bobby Moore Fund for cancer research in the UK "to help fund vital prostate cancer research" and received the Martin Luther King Legacy Award for philanthropy. The foundation also pledged funds to Save the Children and Oxfam. [20] Sanomi was appointed to the West Africa Book Development Fund's advisory board. [21] He became the honorary chair of the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Salute Committee, taking over from the late Ade Adefuye. [22] [ self-published source ]

Sanomi co-sponsored the Dance Theatre of Harlem's first Latin American tour in Tegucigalpa from 31 January to 6 February 2014. According to a press release on the U. S. Embassy website, "DTH's trip was also made possible by Igho Charles Sanomi II, Executive Director of Taleveras Group." [23] Sanomi is involved in the Global Initiative for Peace, Love and Care (GIPLC), [24] a non-governmental organisation with a mission "to promote sustainable programs and activities that will ensure a better life for the Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC)", [25] through his company's partnership. [26]

Sports

Sanomi presented a ₦10 million cheque to Delta State Sports Commissioner Amaju Pinnick, pledging his support for the first Africa Youth Athletics Championships in Warri in 2010: "We share in the vision of Delta State in many aspects, especially in the area of sports development". [27] Pinnick commended Taleveras for its contribution to sports. [28]

Sanomi is a polo enthusiast. Taleveras participated in the 2010 Kaduna International Polo Tourney and sponsored the 2011 tournament. [29] [30]

Honours

In the first edition its Choiseul 100 Africa, published in September 2014, the Institut Choiseul for International Politics and Geoeconomics ranked Sanomi number one among "growing business leaders, successful entrepreneurs, investors, etc." who "embody the dynamism and renewal of a whole continent and carry the hopes of an entire generation". The list "identifies and ranks the young African leaders of 40 years old and under, who will play a major role in the development of Africa in the near future". [31] He also topped the 2015 list. [32] [33] In 2013, Sanomi was nominated by Nigeria's Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment for a post on the Nigeria-South Africa Business Council. [34] He received a Corporate/Friends of the Police Award at the first Police Sports Awards on 28 February 2014 in Abuja. [35] Sanomi was cited by Forbes as one of "Ten Young African Millionaires to Watch in 2013", [36] and was ranked one of Africa's top 25 oil and gas leaders of that year by African Leadership magazine.[ full citation needed ]

He received Mode Men magazine's Humanitarian of the Year Award in 2012. [37] Sanomi was a speaker at the 2014 Africa Global Business Forum in Dubai, and was scheduled to speak again at the forum the following year. [38] [39] He is a recipient of the African Leadership Award. [40] Sanomi received the 2014 Africa's Emerging Community Development Icon Award, and was granted honorary citizenship in the U.S. state of Georgia. [41]

Related Research Articles

The city of Warri is an oil hub within South-South Nigeria and houses an annex of the Delta State Government House. Warri City is one of the major hubs of the petroleum industry in Nigeria. Warri, Udu, Okpe and Uvwie are the commercial capital of Delta State with a population of over 311,970 people in 2006. The city is the indigenous territory of Itsekiri, Urhobo and Ijaw people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delta State</span> State in southern Nigeria

Delta State is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Named after the Niger Delta—a large part of which is in the state—the state was formed from the former Bendel State, on 27 August 1991. Bordered on the north by Edo State, the east by Anambra and Rivers states, and that south by Bayelsa State while to the west is the Bight of Benin which covers about 160 kilometres of the state's coastline. The state was initially created with 12 local government areas in 1991, but was later expanded to 19 and now has 25 local government areas. Its capital city is Asaba which is located along the River Niger on the northeastern end of the state, while the state's economic center is the city of Warri on the southwestern coastline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra</span> Nigerian political party

The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) is a secessionist movement in Nigeria, associated with Igbo nationalism, which supports the recreation of an independent state of Biafra. It was founded in 1999 and is led by an Indian-trained lawyer Ralph Uwazuruike, with headquarters in Okwe, in the Okigwe district of Imo State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bayelsa State</span> State of Nigeria

Bayelsa state is a state in the South South region of Nigeria, located in the core of the Niger Delta. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from Rivers State, making it one of the newest states in the federation. The capital, Yenagoa, is susceptible to high risk of annual flooding. It shares a boundary with Rivers State to the east and Delta State to the north across the Niger River for 17 km and the Forçados River for 198 km, with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean dominating its southern borders. It has a total area of 10,773 square kilometres (4,159 sq mi). The state comprises eight local government areas: Ekeremor, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Yenagoa, Nembe, Ogbia, Sagbama, Brass and Southern Ijaw. The state is the smallest in Nigeria by population as of the 2006 census. Being in the Niger Delta, Bayelsa State has a riverine and estuarine setting, with bodies of water within the state preventing the development of significant road infrastructure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conflict in the Niger Delta</span> Ongoing military conflict

The current conflict in the Niger Delta first arose in the early 1990s over tensions between foreign oil corporations and a number of the Niger Delta's minority ethnic groups who feel they are being exploited, particularly the Ogoni and the Ijaw. Ethnic and political unrest continued throughout the 1990s despite the return to democracy and the election of the Obasanjo government in 1999. Struggle for oil wealth and environmental harm over its impacts has fueled violence between ethnic groups, causing the militarization of nearly the entire region by ethnic militia groups, Nigerian military and police forces, notably the Nigerian Mobile Police. The violence has contributed to Nigeria's ongoing energy supply crisis by discouraging foreign investment in new power generation plants in the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omotola Jalade Ekeinde</span> Nigerian actress (born 1978)

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, is a Nigerian actress, singer, philanthropist and former model. Since her Nollywood film debut in 1995, Ekeinde has appeared in over 300 films, selling millions of copies. Omotola is the second Nigerian and first Nigerian celebrity to receive over 1 million likes on her Facebook page. She currently has a total of 3 million followers on Facebook.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transnational Corporation of Nigeria</span>

Transnational Corporation plc, is a diversified conglomerate with strategic investments and core interests in the hospitality, agribusiness and energy sectors. A publicly quoted conglomerate with a diversified shareholders base of about 300,000 investors, its notable assets include Transcorp Hotels plc owner of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja and Aura by Transcorp Hotels; Transcorp Power Plc and Transcorp Energy Limited .. As at 2023, Transcorp Group’s market capitalization is in excess of N540bn.

Gamaliel Oforitsenere Onosode was a Nigerian technocrat, administrator and a former presidential candidate of the All Nigeria People's Party of Nigeria. Educated at the Government College, Ughelli and the University of Ibadan, he emerged in the 1970s as one of Nigeria's leading educated chief executives, when he was at the helm of NAL merchant bank of Nigeria. Over the years, he rose to become a leading boardroom player in Nigeria's corporate environment. He was also a former presidential adviser to President Shehu Shagari and a former president of the Nigerian Institute of Management.

Otu-Jeremi is a town in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State, Nigeria. The Nigeria Gas Plant is located here. It is the headquarters of Ughelli South LGA.

The Urhobos are people located in southern Nigeria, near the northwestern Niger Delta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heirs Holdings</span> African Holding Company

Heirs Holdings is a family-owned investment holding company headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria with investment interests in various sectors in Africa.

Ikpoto Eseme is a former Nigerian sprinter who competed at international level winning bronze and gold medals. He also worked as a policeman.

Taleveras is an African business conglomerate, privately owned with business interests in energy and infrastructure, oil and gas exploration, production, trading and supply, power and construction. Taleveras’ offices are located in London, Geneva, Abuja, Lagos, Abidjan, Cape Town and Dubai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orezi</span> Nigerian musician

Esegine Allen, better known by his stage name Orezi, is a Nigerian musician from Delta State. He rose to prominence with his song "Rihanna" in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Oru</span> Nigerian politician

Stephen Orise Oru is a Nigerian politician. He is a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jide Omokore</span>

Jide Omokore is a businessman from Kogi State in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria. Omokore has business interests that span oil trading and exploration, marine, haulage services, steel, dredging engineering and property development.

Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, born on November 25, 1957, in Evwreni, Ughelli, Nigeria is a Nigerian chartered accountant, politician, and businessman. He has had a successful career in the financial sector and has been actively involved in social and political activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benedict Peters</span> Nigerian oil billionaire

Benedict Peters is a pan-African billionaire businessman with extensive assets in the oil and gas and mining industries. He is the founder and CEO of Aiteo, Africa's largest indigenous oil producer, and Bravura Holdings, a vertically integrated mining company developing platinum, lithium, steel, copper, and gold assets in countries throughout Africa, including Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Libya, Tanzania, and South Africa. Ventures Africa estimated his net worth in November 2014 at $2.7 billion. Other media have more recently placed the figure at between $3 and $5 billion. Peters is a born again Christian and a prominent financier of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The 2016Niger Delta conflict is an ongoing conflict around the Niger Delta region of Nigeria in a bid for the secession of the region, which was a part of the breakaway state of Biafra. It follows on-and-off conflict in the Christian-dominated southern Niger Delta in the preceding years, as well as an insurgency in the Muslim-dominated northeast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Kwakpovwe</span> Christian minister

Chris Kwakpovwe is a Christian minister, trained pharmacist and author. He is the founder and senior pastor of Manna Prayer Mountain (MPM) Ministry Worldwide, headquartered in Lagos. He is also the author of Our Daily Manna, a daily devotional.

References

  1. "Project 'Touch a life today' launched". Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. 4 May 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  2. "Police Games: Golfers set for Sanomi tourney". The Punch. 3 March 2013. Archived from the original on 5 March 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  3. "Police Games 2013: Dickens Sanomi Championship Kicks Off". ThisDay. 17 February 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  4. Olawale Ajimotokan (4 March 2014). "Bada, Sanomi Bag Police Posthumous Sports Award". ThisDay. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  5. "Igho Sanomi: Bravery Against The Odds". THISDAYLIVE. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  6. "Ten Young African Millionaires To Watch in 2013". Forbes. 15 July 2013.
  7. "10 Nigerian Billionaires You've Never Heard Of". Ventures Africa. 2 July 2013.
  8. "New owners emerge for Afam Power Plc, Kaduna Distribution Company". Vanguard. 1 August 2013.
  9. "Afam Power Plc Nigeria, Sale of Equity" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  10. "Nigerians Win Big in Crude Oil Lifting Contracts". ThisDay. 3 July 2012. Archived from the original on 18 May 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  11. Dayo Oketola (24 October 2013). "Afam power plant's expansion to begin soon". Punch Newspapers. Archived from the original on 29 November 2013.
  12. Theodore Opara (19 October 2013). "Alstom partners Nigeria in infrastructural development". Vanguard.
  13. "Firms seal deal over Afam station expansion". Energy Mix Report. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  14. "The Dickens Sanomi Foundation | Midel Management". midelmanagement.com. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  15. "The Dickens Sanomi Annual Essay Competition 2014". Archived from the original on 2 August 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  16. "Quality essays surprise judges". The Nation. 29 November 2012.
  17. "12,300 victims rescued in Delta". The Daily Independent. 19 October 2012. Archived from the original on 11 October 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. "FLOOD: NGO rescues 12,300 trapped flood victims in Delta". Vanguard. 20 October 2012.
  19. Lanre Alfred (11 November 2012). "FLOOD: Hope, Succour for the Afflicted". ThisDay. Archived from the original on 17 November 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2013. ...Foundation gave out a comprehensive funding package worth over N100 million to flood victims.
  20. "Igho Sanomi's Addiction to Philanthropy [sic]". Sahel Standard. 22 June 2015. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  21. "Advisory Board Members". West Aftrica Book Development Fund. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  22. "Igho Sanomi Appointed Honorary Chair of the International Salute to Dr. martin Luther King, Jr". 15 June 2015.
  23. "Dance Theatre of Harlem Visits Honduras in First Latin America Tour" (Press release). Embassy of the United States, Honduras. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015. DTH's trip was also made possible by Igho Charles Sanomi II, Executive Director of Taleveras Group.
  24. "Food for One Million, Save a Child and Child Education Support".
  25. "GIPLC Mission and Vision". Archived from the original on 18 October 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  26. "Partners of the Global Initiative for Peace, Love and Care". Archived from the original on 20 July 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  27. "Televeras joins AYAC 2013". Vanguard. 27 March 2013.
  28. "Warri 2013 Athletic Championships Begin". The Punch. 28 March 2013. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013.
  29. "Taleveras sponsors Kaduna Polo Tournament 2011".
  30. "Taleveras Polo Team". Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  31. "Choiseul 100 Africa:Economic Leaders for Tomorrow" (PDF). Institut Choiseul. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  32. "2nd Edition of the Choiseul 100 Africa:Economic Leaders for Tomorrow" (PDF). Institut Choiseul. 13 October 2015.
  33. "Igho Sanomi Tops the 'Choiseul 100 Africa 2015: Economic Leaders for Tomorrow' for the Second Consecutive Year". Market Watch. 14 October 2015.
  34. "Sanomi nominated for new Nigeria-South Africa Business Council". Peoples Daily. 2 August 2013.
  35. NAN (1 March 2014). "137 serving, retired police officers honoured". Punch. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  36. "Ten Young African Millionaires To Watch in 2013". Forbes. 15 July 2013.
  37. "Wizkid, Aliko Dangote, Chris Attoh, Elenu, Uti Nwachukwu & More Win at the 2012 Mode Men of the Year Awards in Lagos". Bella Naija. 10 December 2012.
  38. "2014 Africa Global Business Forum-Report on the Proceedings" (PDF). The Economist. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  39. "Africa Global Business Forum". 10Times.
  40. "African Leadership Awards" (PDF). African Leadership Magazine. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  41. "Igho Charles Sanomi Ii Conferred With Honorary Citizenship Award in Atlanta, By The State of Georgia". 10 June 2014.