If there’s any Nigerian not getting enough credit for all he’s been doing, no one, arguably, can take the place of Dr. Muhammad Indimi, a business magnate, philanthropist, and one of the wealthiest individuals in Nigeria and Africa.
His journey is not merely one of wealth accumulation but a masterclass in how a one-man enterprise can challenge global monopolies.
Born 12 August 1947, in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria’s Borno State, from a Hausa father and Kanuri mother, Dr. Indimi still managed to learn how to speak, read and write in English independently, having not attended formal school because his father could not afford to sponsor his western education.
After a lucky break from his friend, one Engr. Bunu Sheriff Musa, to launch his business contact with the USA, In 1990, Indimi got oil prospecting license granted by the then President Ibrahim Babangida regime. He then took the audacious leap into oil exploration and established an oil and gas firm named Oriental Energy Resources Limited (OERL), and through it he has meticulously built an empire that serves as a cornerstone for Nigeria’s industrial landscape.
From the depths of oil exploration, Indimi’s fingerprints are presently on the infrastructure that powers the lives of millions, proving that with enough grit, a local entrepreneur can build a legacy that commands international respect.
But even this story, as often told, misses the deeper point. One consistent thread in his story is his indifference to publicity. He does not grant interviews on demand.
On Friday, August 16th, 2019, however, through his media team, I had the rare opportunity and privilege of interviewing Dr. Indimi at his palatial Maiduguri home, and later had a sumptuous lunch with him, his son Mustafa, and his two brothers.
For a man who remains curiously uninterested in narrating his own legend, when asked to describe his life, he says “It is God, my destiny. I didn’t attend formal school, but now, every year I give at least 100 scholarships up to university level. I don’t get annoyed, instead I give thanks always”.
And if wealth is neither rare nor inherently admirable, he says “Even if you have money, the one you use is the one that is yours, the one you don’t use is not yours. Just like money in the bank, the one you use is yours, the rest is not. It is that simple”.
On his being perceived as arrogant he added “Arrogance is another key to hell. God does not like the arrogant. I am not arrogant at all, I am very simple and humble”.
His generosity, by most credible accounts, operates in a different tenor, it is quiet, targeted, and often invisible to the public eye. Indimi’s story is one of resilience, ingenuity, and determination. He established Muhammad Indimi Foundation (MIF), through which has empowered and supported people affected by the Boko Haram crisis in the North East.
Indeed, Indimi is a bridge-builder, having family marriage ties with the Buharis and Babangidas. In a world where access often determines opportunity, and proximity to power redraws the boundaries of one’s life, Indimi is a self-made man who draws the awe of many people, he has been the bulwark of the North East, including being an unofficial adviser on critical issues of regional concern, but guided strictly by overall national interest.
Even more noteworthy, is how his passion extends to remaining a deeply family-oriented individual. His children’s successes, and his unwavering support for their endeavours, reflect his commitment to ensuring that his legacy extends through future generations.
A man whose investment in Nigeria is legendary, the Indimi legacy is perhaps most vibrantly felt in his immense contributions to economy, culture, and religion.
A force that has consistently altered the terms of engagement within Nigeria’s economic landscape, Indimi is one whom some admirers, as well as journalists with a nose for proximity to power, describe as Nigeria’s most elusive billionaire, but he himself acknowledges “I have friends, but most of them didn’t make it successfully in life. Some of them are no more. Sometimes I send my drivers to bring those that are still alive. When they come we will eat and joke. I see how God has upgraded me. Sometimes I cry and support them”.
Indimi up close is more of a human than myth. There are men who cultivate visibility, but Dr. Indimi is not a man built for applause, if one understands him even slightly, one suspects he might quietly disdain it. He is omnipresent yet unseen, influential yet understated.
The Chairman OERL has built an empire in deliberate obscurity, speaking rarely, not hungry for recognition, appearing sparingly, and allowing his work and philanthropy to speak where his voice does not. While his fellow magnates get intoxicated by spectacle, he has remained stubbornly, almost rebelliously, private.
He told me during the interview “Why I shy away from people is because when you speak you are misconstrued by people who would say we heard it from others. And I don’t do the culture of gossiping. If you come to me and start talking about people I will shut you out”.
Indimi’s philanthropy focuses on poverty alleviation, education, and health. He views corporate social responsibility not as a box to tick, but as a debt of gratitude to the society that fostered his growth.
He has supported IDPs, awarded scholarships, and donated to educational institutions like Lynn University. Oriental Energy built 100 units of N700million modern residential estate in Enwang, awarded over 470 scholarships in Akwa Ibom State and established a sponsored programme in the Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering, University of Uyo.
In December 2024, marking a significant milestone for Oriental Energy Resources, Indimi unveiled a new Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit in Dubai, this is expected to enhance the company’s operational capacity and revenue generation.