Chief Dozie was the founder of Diamond Bank and the pioneer Chairman of MTN Nigeria.
By Ife Osemedua
365Daily – President Bola Tinubu has expressed deep sorrow over the death of renowned businessman and elder statesman, Chief (Dr.) Pascal Gabriel Dozie, who passed away at the age of 85.
Chief Dozie was the founder of Diamond Bank and the pioneer Chairman of MTN Nigeria, playing a key role in the evolution of the banking and telecommunications sectors in the country.
Chief Dozie’s contributions also extended to national policy and private sector development, having served as a director at the Central Bank of Nigeria, President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, and Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, the president extended condolences to the Dozie family, the business community, and all Nigerians, describing the late entrepreneur as a visionary leader whose impact on Nigeria’s economic landscape will not be forgotten.
President Tinubu hailed him as “a rare breed business leader whose wisdom, humility, and pioneering efforts laid a foundation upon which many continue to build,” and noted that his death is a significant loss to the Nigerian private sector.
He prayed for the peaceful repose of Dozie’s soul and urged the business community to honour his legacy by upholding the values of integrity, innovation, and nation-building.