use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = , death_cause = , body_discovered = , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinates = , burial_place = , burial_coordinates = , monuments = , nationality =

Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...

, other_names = , siglum = , citizenship = , education =

University of Ife Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) is a federal government-owned university that is located in the ancient city of Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. The university was founded in 1961 and classes commenced in October 1962 as the University of Ife ...

, alma_mater = , occupation = , years_active = , era = , employer = , organization = Neimeth Pharmaceutical , agent = , known_for = founding Neimeth Pharmaceutical , notable_works = , style = , net_worth = , height = , television = , title = , term = , predecessor = , successor = , party = , movement = , opponents = , boards = , criminal_charges = , criminal_penalty = , criminal_status = , spouse = , partner = , children = , parents = , mother = , father = , relatives = Mao Ohuabunwa , family = , callsign = , awards = , website = , module = , module2 = , module3 = , module4 = , module5 = , module6 = , signature = , signature_size = , signature_alt = , footnotes = Mazi Samuel Iheanyichukwu Ohuabunwa (born 16 August 1950), is a Nigerian

pharmacist A pharmacist, also known as a chemist (Commonwealth English) or a druggist (North American and, archaically, Commonwealth English), is a healthcare professional who prepares, controls and distributes medicines and provides advice and instructi ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

and business executive. He is the founder and former CEO of Neimeth Pharmaceutical. He is a former president of the

Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) is a professional body for practicing pharmacists in Nigeria and was established in to instill discipline and maintaining professional ethics among members of the organization. The first president of the asso ...

Early life and education

Samuel Ohuabunwa was born on the 16th of August 1950 in Port Harcourt. He began his education at Okrika Grammar School,

Okrika Okrika is an island in Rivers State, Nigeria, capital of the Local Government Area of the same name. The town is situated on an island south of Port Harcourt, making it a suburb of the much larger city. The average elevation of Okrika is 452 me ...

. The

Nigerian Civil War The Nigerian Civil War (6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970), also known as the Nigerian–Biafran War or the Biafran War, was a civil war fought between Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra, a secessionist state which had declared its independence f ...

which started in July 1967 had his education interrupted. He later joined the war and fought for Biafran Army. After the war ended in 1970, he transferred to Government Secondary School, Owerri to complete his education. He obtained his West African School Certificate examination in 1971. He then proceeded to the

in 1972 to study Pharmacy and graduated in 1976. He had postgraduate training in Business and Organisational Management at the

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

, in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

USA.

Career

After his graduation from Columbia University, Sam joined

Pfizer Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered on 42nd Street in Manhattan, New York City. The company was established in 1849 in New York by two German entrepreneurs, Charles Pfizer ...

as Sales Representative in 1978. He later became the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Pfizer in Nigeria. In 1997, the headquarters of Pfizer in New York, USA decided to reduce its business operations in Nigeria and offered Sam Ohuabunwa the opportunity to lead a management buy over of their 60% equity investments. This gave rise Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc, an indigenous company today in Nigeria. He named this company in honour of a former president of Pfizer, Mr Robert Neimeth. He retired from his role as

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

of Neimeth PLC in 2011 after serving in that capacity for 18 years. Ohuabunwa is a fellow of the Nigerian Pharmaceutical Society as well as the present Chairman of same body. Ohuabunwa is the foundation president of the West African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association. He was also the Chairman of the

Nigerian Economic Summit Group The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) is a private sector-led think-tank and policy advocacy group based in Nigeria. The NESG promotes sustainable growth and the development of the Nigerian economy. It is a non profit, non-partisan and apoliti ...

and former chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria. He is also a Fellow of the West African Post-Graduate College of Pharmacists, Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Pharmacy, Fellow of the

Nigerian Institute of Management The Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) is a non-profit institution that defines the required skills and standards for professional managers, and offers courses leading to diplomas in Management. History The Nigerian Management Group was formed ...

and other professional bodies. In the public sector, he was a member of the Presidential Committee on vision 2010 and Vision 2020 national development plans. Mazi Sam has been on the Board of

Nigerian Institute Of Social And Economic Research Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...

and Nigerian Health Insurance Scheme. He was appointed on the board of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) by President

Goodluck Jonathan Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan (born 20 November 1957)Lawson Heyford, ''The Source'' (Lagos), 11 December 2006. is a Nigerian politician who served as the President of Nigeria from 2010 to 2015. He lost the 2015 presidential election to fo ...

. He was chairman of the governing board of Abia State Polytechnic and also chairman of the board of the Abia State Teaching Hospital. In 2021, he announced his candidacy for the Presidency of Nigeria in the 2023 elections under the newly formed party New Nigeria Group (NNG).

Awards and recognitions

In recognition of his services to

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, he is a recipient of three national honours. In 2001, he was awarded Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) by President

Olusegun Obasanjo Chief Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Ogunboye Aremu Obasanjo, , ( ; yo, Olúṣẹ́gun Ọbásanjọ́ ; born 5 March 1937) is a Nigerian political and military leader who served as Nigeria's head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its pres ...

. In 2011, he was awarded Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) by President

and the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) in 2018 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Personal life

Sam Ohuabunwa is married with five children and ten grandchildren. He is a Christian by religion and a Knight of Saint Christopher of the Anglican Communion of Nigeria. He is the National Coordinator of the Strategic Outreaches group of the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship. He is the elder brother to Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ohuabunwa, Sam Living people 1950 births Obafemi Awolowo University alumni Nigerian pharmacists Igbo people Business executives Nigerian business executives People from Abia State Abia State politicians