Tonye Patrick Cole (born 11 January 1967) is a Nigerian billionaire businessman and co-founder of Sahara Group, an energy conglomerate operating across 38 countries with over 4,000 employees and an annual turnover of $11 billion. He was responsible for the group’s global expansion and governance, and has worked with global organizations such as the World Economic Forum (PACI), the United Nations (UNDP SDG-F), and the African Philanthropy Forum. Cole also leads the Sahara Foundation and founded the Nehemiah Youth Empowerment Initiative and the Behavioral Health Institute (BHI), focusing on youth empowerment and behavioral health. He supports charities including the Down Syndrome Foundation, Slum-2-School, and various orphanages.
Biography
Tonye Cole was born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. He attended Corona School, Victoria Island, King's College, Lagos, and King's Ely, UK. He earned a degree in Architecture and Engineering from the University of Lagos, studied Portuguese at Universidade de Brasilia, and completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program (2014).
He began his career in Brazil with Grupo Quartro SA, where he helped design Palmas, the capital of Tocantins. He later worked as Director of Operations at EMSA in Nigeria (1993–1996), handling a World Bank-financed water project. Tonye is an ordained minister of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and leader of Team Nehemiah, aiming to transform the Redemption Camp into a modern city.
He is the son of Patrick Dele-Cole, former MD of Daily Times and Nigerian ambassador to Brazil. He is married to Dr. Sylvia Cole and has three children.
Publications
- Morning Reflections (2013)
- My God Thinks (2016)
- Columnist: Thisday Style, "Watchers of Times"
Awards
- 2017 – Oil & Gas Council Lifetime Achievement and Executive of the Year
- 2014 – Wharton Club of Africa Award for Best Company to Work For
- 2013 – Forbes/Ebonylife TV Best of Africa Award
- 2011 – African Property Awards/Bloomberg TV (Office Architecture)
- 2011 – Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist
- 2010 – Thisday Award for Young Global Champions in Oil & Gas
- 2009 – Role Model Award by We Are the Future of Our Nation
- 2007 – Merit Award by University of Lagos Alumni Association
Politics
In September 2018, Cole resigned from all corporate roles to contest the Rivers State gubernatorial seat under the All Progressives Congress (APC). He won the primaries, but due to legal issues, APC was excluded from the 2019 ballot.
He re-contested and won the 2023 APC primaries with 77% of delegate votes. Though a Federal High Court annulled the APC primaries on 25 October 2022, he was reinstated by the Court of Appeal in January 2023.
References