Politics in Nigeria is a dirty game and those who play it are called politicians. These set of people are rich or wealthy, majority of them earn or loot money through the stroke of their signatures.
A lot of rich Politicians outside the official appointed government leaders allegedly regulate the constitution, draft rules, place and manipulate the government policies, influence decisions of sister nations directly and indirectly, and lastly, they maximize and leverage the natural and material resources in a nation.
In Nigeria, some of the richest individuals are the politicians who divert funds meant for economic advancement and development into their pockets. Imagine a man pocketing funds meant to be shared among over 200 million people.
Nigeria has become a nation where anything works. The politicians who are responsible for developing the state stay back and lavish the billions, if not trillions. When they fix a road, or build a public library or school, we praise them like it’s something they did out of their private pockets.
Who is the richest politician in Nigeria?
Recently, the battle of the wealthiest politician in Nigeria has been between Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his co-party member, Rochas Okorocha who hails from Imo State. Some have argued that Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be the richest or even first on the list. However assets and net worth has helped us to clarify and develop a better list of top 10 richest Politicians in Nigeria and neither Tinubu nor Rochas was ranked #1 according to estimated net worth.
Here are the top 10 richest politicians in Nigeria.
10. Ben Murray-Bruce | Estimated net worth – $715 million.
A lot of people I know classify Ben Murray-Bruce as one of the most sensible Nigerian politicians. He is brilliant, takes no sides, sharp to talk, and he’s one of the richest politicians in Nigerian. He represents the Bayelsa East constituency in the Nigerian senate house.
He’s also one of the few politicians who post, tweet, retweet, and publish content on social media networks. This has earned him a title as the most socially active politician in the country. This is because a lot of Nigerian politicians burry their eyes in newspapers, and a lot do not actually know how to use these social tools.
They would rather have a committee set up to update their timelines, or profiles for them. Aside being a politician, Ben Murray-Bruce is motivational speaker, and businessperson.
He banks money from his political career and other channels. From the year 1999 to 2003, he served as the director general of popular independent Nigerian TV channel authority, NTA (Nigerian Television Authority).
9. Rotimi Amaechi | Estimated net worth – $780 million.
Another really rich Nigerian politician is Rotimi Amaechi. He is very popular in the country, and is very outspoken. Rotimi Amaechi was birthed on the 27th of May, 1965.
He has held very significant positions in the Nigerian government, and has contributed to the development of the nation.
From the year 2007 to 2015, Rotimi Amaechi served as the Governor of Rivers State. During his tenure, the state experienced rapid growth and several infrastructures were put to stand.
Rotimi Amaechi also severed from the year 1999 to 2007 as speaker at House of Assembly. As I write, the wealthy and influential politician serves as the minister for transportation.
8. Dino Melaye | Estimated net worth – $802 million.
Politician Dino Melaye is a very controversial Nigerian politically minded personality. Not like he’s the only controversial Nigerian politician, but he gets into trouble with other dignitaries too easily, and the media never gets tired of slapping his name on their front-page.
He’s a representative of Kogi east, and has occupied very pivotal offices in Nigeria as a politician. He’s known to scorn the political system operative in Nigeria, and has thus earned a moniker, Mr Fix It. He’s a top level politician in Nigeria, and he’s also a member of the 8th National Assembly by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
I would classify Dino Melaye as a “Nigerian Political HushPuppi”. His showoff and display of wealth and luxurious lifestyle on social media is a similitude of what these socialites take for an hobby.
Dino Melaye is a Lawmaker as well, and one of the richest Nigerian politicians today.
NEXT: Alhaji Adamu Mu’ Azu
7. Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Mu’Azu | Estimated net worth – $895 million
Adamu Mu’Azu is a Nigerian politician who occupied seat as the Bauchi state Governor from 1999 to 2007.
He is one of the top 10 richest politicians in Nigeria who was into business before his interest in politics sprouted into reality.
Alhaji Mu’Azu was the National Working Committee Chairman for the People’s Democratic Party. It’s turning into a normal phenomenon worldwide for rulers to rule twice, for two tenures.
It was same scenario with Alhaji Mu’Azu as he was reelected to rule a second time notwithstanding the controversies ongoing during his first tenure.
NEXT: Atiku Abubaka
6. Atiku Abubakar | Estimated net worth – $1.4 Billion.
Atiku Abubakar is one of the most vigilant vice president that saddled the political affairs of Nigeria. He is a famous Nigerian politician and one of the richest.
While Sir Olusegun Obasanjo took the from seat as the president from May 1999 to May 2007, Atiku Abubakar was the vice president of the country. He served for 8 years as the vice president of the country, and that was during the early times of Democracy in Nigeria.
Before his indulgence in the political affairs of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar was into real estate business.
He was also a customs officer. In 2005, he founded the American University of Nigeria just before running for the office of the vice president of Nigeria 2 years after. He has a chain of businesses and is a businessman and politician combined.
NEXT: Rochas okorocha
5. Rochas Okorocha | Estimated net worth – $1.5 Billion.
Rochas Okorocha is a Nigerian multi-billionaire politician, philanthropist, and businessman.
He is one of the richest politicians in Nigeria today.
Rochas Okorocha is a native of Imo state, Nigeria, and he was given birth to on the 22nd of September, 1962. Rochas is one od those politicians that actually make moves.
He has been of help in a dozen ways to the political arms of the country. He is very popular, and his name comes up on the media every time. Rochas Okorocha is the current Governor of Imo state and has done a lot of good than harm to the state. His people love him for his charitable spirit.
Rochas Okorocha has the less privileged at heart. He founded the Rochas Foundation to establish special schools in Nigeria for the less privileged.
NEXT: Tinubu
4. Bola Ahmed Tinubu | Estimated net worth – $1.5 billion
Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a successful politician in Nigeria. He’s one of the most successful Governors who governed Lagos state. Bola Tinubu contributed to making Lagos state a beauty.
Lagos state is one of the most beautiful cities in Nigeria today, basically because good governors like Bola Tinubu had to put a lot of things in place, set up infrastructures, maintain already existing infrastructures, complete major projects, and other tasks.
He’s considered one of the most sensible and logical political officials Lagos state has. Bola Tinubu was born on the 29th of March, 1952. He has served in political offices in Lagos state, even as a onetime senator, and Asiwaju of Lagos.
Sir Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a topnotch politician in the country, his wife is also a well known political personality serving the country in affective political offices.
NEXT: Obasanjo
3. Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ) | Estimated net worth – $1.6 Billion
Olusegun Obasanjo is one of the top 10 richest Nigerian politicians. He previously was considered to be the first due to his many businesses, and political stand in Nigeria. He is referred to as “OBJ” which is a short for O-basan-jo (picking the first letter of the three syllables).
Obasanjo is also very famous in Nigeria. He’s very powerful till date, and earned so much respect as the Nigerian Head of State that handed power to civilians without pressure on his government. In recent Democratic times, Olusegun Obasanjo ruled Nigeria for two complete tenures uninterrupted under the PDP political party.
He is very powerful, wealthy, popular and is a man that says what he has in mind to do, and does it. He has ruled the country home and away; as a military Head of State from 1976-79, and as a Democratic president from 1999-2007.
He now simply describes himself as a farmer, owning the Otta farm in Ogun state, Nigeria. The farm is one of West Africa’s largest and most productive farms.
NEXT: Ifeanyi Ubah
2. Ifeanyi Ubah | Estimated net worth – $1.7 billion.
Ifeanyi Ubah‘s name has been repeatedly appearing on media and voiced on traditional information media. Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah is a Nigerian entrepreneur, investor, and famous, connected politician.
As an entrepreneur, he’s the founder of Capital Oil & Gas. He is also the founder of popular Nigerian newspaper – Authority Newspaper.
At age 19, Ubah was already in millions. He started doing business at an earlier age, and before he clocked 20, he was already making transactions in millions.
As an investor, Ifeanyi Ubah has shares in oil & gas firm, football club, road transport service company, automobile spare parts company, and real estates. He is one of the richest politicians in Nigeria with interests in a lot of enterprise.
NEXT:
1. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) | Estimated net worth – $50 billion.
Ibrahim Babangida is known across Nigeria to be the richest politician. He’s called IBB, a short for his name, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and he is also one of Nigeria’s most powerful politicians respected by many.
Before critical decisions are made, he is consulted. IBB is an experienced politician with awards in the political game of Nigeria. He was birthed in Minna, Niger Delta on the 17th of August, 1941.
He was an active military man during the military era of Nigeria. He literally made a lot of things happened in the past, and the fear of him by many politicians can be traced to his brutality as a military personality. From the year 1985 to 1983, Ibrahim Babangida occupied seat as the Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He pronounced the June 12 Election which was won by fellow politician MKO Abiola annulled. Ibrahim Babangida had clashes with the current president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buari who described Nigerian youths as lazy and depending on free oil money.
He was part of the masterminds who mastered the coup to remove Muhammadu Buari from the seat of power as a military ruler. As you have read, the old ones are not leaving the batting to the younger ones. Ibrahim Babangida owns several businesses and a house worth billions in Niger Delta. The house is reported to be one of the most valuable houses in Africa.