7 things to know about Jowizaza’s father – net worth and how he made his money

• Chief Joseph Ebere Ezeokafor Snr is Jowizaza’s father and the founder of Jezco Oil and Lubricants, which he established in 1980 and later expanded into petroleum marketing and related businesses. 

• Ezeokafor’s wealth was built primarily through the oil and gas business, with available reports also linking his business interests to lubricants and plastics manufacturing. 

• His net worth is widely reported online as about $2 billion, but the figure has not been independently verified.

Jowizaza may be one of the most recognisable names on Nigeria’s social scene, but the story behind his family’s wealth belongs to his father, Chief Sir Joseph Ebere Ezeokafor Snr.

Ezeokafor, the founder and chairman of the Jezco Group, built a prominent presence in Nigeria's oil and gas industry for over 40 years. 

In August 2026, the Anambra-born businessman, who is the founder and chairman of Jezco Oil and Jezco Group, was reportedly abducted after leaving his home for a prayer ground in Awka.

His abductors have since reportedly increased their ransom demand from ₦700 million to ₦1.5 billion.

Here are 7 essential things to know about Jowizaza's father, his family, his net worth, and how he made his fortune.

Chief Sir Joseph Ebere Ezeokafor Snr. was born on April 30, 1952, in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. He is known by the traditional title Nwachinemelu Ekwulobia.

While his son, Joseph Ezeokafor Jr., popularly known as Jowi Zaza, is a familiar face on social media, the elder Ezeokafor has largely stayed away from the spotlight.

His public profile has mostly been built around his businesses, philanthropy and community work.

He is married to Lady Veronica Ezeokafor, and they have seven children — two sons, Jowi Zaza and Emeka, and five daughters, including Ada and Ifeoma Ezeokafor.

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The base of the Ezeokafor family fortune is Jezco Oil and Lubricants.

Ezeokafor established Jezco in 1980 and secured its operational licence as an independent petroleum marketer and oil service company in the early 1980s.

The business initially operated in Northern Nigeria (primarily around Adamawa State) before expanding southward during the period of insecurity in the region and establishing a heavy presence across the South-East.

Over four decades, Jezco expanded from simple fuel distribution into a major network of retail filling stations, petroleum bulk storage, cooking gas plants, and specialised industrial lubricant production.

Ezeokafor’s wealth did not come from one business deal or petroleum sales alone. Over the years, he expanded his interests into different areas, including plastic manufacturing and industrial packaging through Jezco Plastics.

His businesses also operate across different parts of the energy market, with outlets supplying petrol, kerosene and diesel, as well as industrial gas and medical oxygen. 

This diversification has helped make his business interests broader than the traditional oil marketing company.

His decades-long contribution to business and job creation has also earned him recognition. In 2025, The Sun honoured him with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to industrial growth, wealth creation and economic development in Nigeria.

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Ezeokafor’s public life has also been closely tied to the Catholic Church.

While building his business interests in northern Nigeria, he reportedly served as chairman of the Catholic Charismatic Prayer Movement in Yola, Adamawa State. 

His involvement was not limited to church activities. He donated land in Damilu, Adamawa State, towards a Catholic church and supported the construction of the church and a residence for priests. 

He also reportedly donated land for a primary school, which was handed over to the Bishop of Yola Diocese. 

His support for Catholic causes has also been linked to his role as a patron of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria (AMEN), led by Rev. Fr Ejike Mbaka. 

The figures are uncertain.

Several Nigerian websites estimate Joseph Ezeokafor Snr.'s net worth at about $2 billion. However, that figure has not been independently verified through a Forbes profile, audited accounts or another authoritative public financial disclosure.

Less disputed is the scale and longevity of his business career. Jezco has operated for more than 40 years and has expanded into different areas of the downstream oil and manufacturing sectors.

Chief Joseph Ebere Ezeokafor Snr was one of the early supporters who helped provide financial backing for Madonna University, with campuses in Elele, Rivers State, and Okija, Anambra State.

He is also credited with funding and constructing a stadium for St Peter’s University in Achina/Amaechi, Anambra State. 

His educational background was considerably more modest. 

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He attended St Joseph Catholic Primary School in Ekwulobia, his hometown in Anambra State, before building a career that culminated in an honorary doctorate in Business Administration, according to biographical accounts. 

Ezeokafor was officially decorated as a Patron of Rangers International FC when the club’s leadership visited his country home to present their league trophy, honouring his continued financial backing for sports development and youth scouting in Anambra State.

Despite spending years building his business outside his hometown, Ezeokafor’s roots remain firmly in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.

He was born there in 1952 and began his education there. His connection to the town has also continued through community projects and public recognition.

That relationship became particularly visible following reports of his recent abduction. 

In a rare cultural move, the traditional ruler of Ekwulobia, His Royal Majesty Igwe (Engr) Emmanuel Chukwukadibia Onyeneke, officially suspended the town's historic annual New Yam Festival (Iwa Ji).

The palace announced that the community could not host celebrations while one of its most prominent benefactors remained in captivity.

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Today, Chief Joseph Ezeokafor's name is therefore connected to two very different things: the flashy lifestyle that made his son famous and the quieter, decades-long business journey that helped create the wealth behind the family name.

At its core, his story is the story of an entrepreneur who started Jezco in 1980 and spent more than 40 years building a business around Nigeria's oil and gas industry.