Diamond Bank Founder, Pascal Dozie, dies at 85

The founder of the defunct Diamond Bank, Pascal Gabriel Dozie, has died at the age of 85.

Family sources confirmed that Dozie died on Monday, April 7, 2025, after a brief illness.

The business mogul was born on April 9, 1939, into the family of Charles Dozie, a Catholic catechist.

His journey to prominence began with his early education at Our Lady’s School Emekuku, Holy Ghost Juniorate Seminary, and Holy Ghost College, Owerri, the capital of Imo State, where he obtained his West African School Certificate.

AfDB seeks stronger partnership with UBA, lauds bank for facilitating Africa’s devt

He later travelled to the United Kingdom where he earned a B.Sc. in Economics from the prestigious London School of Economics.

Dixie’s academic pursuits continued with studies in Operational Research and Industrial Engineering, followed by a Master’s degree in Administrative Science from City University, London.

Dozie returned to Nigeria to make a lasting impact on the country’s financial and telecom sectors. He was the visionary behind Diamond Bank, which began operations in 1991 and later merged with Access Bank in 2019.

He also served as the Chairman of MTN Nigeria, playing a key role in the telecom giant’s growth in the country.

Dozie is survived by his wife, Chinyere, and five children.

The Star