Oba Otudeko- The Billionaire Businessman Behind Honeywell Group

In Nigeria’s business world, some people are loud and always in the news. But there are others who move quietly, working hard behind the scenes and building great success. One of these quiet achievers is Oba Otudeko, a smart and respected businessman from Ogun State, in the Southwest region of Nigeria.

Oba Otudeko is the founder of Honeywell Group, a big Nigerian company that is into many things, flour, food production, real estate, oil and gas, energy, and banking. Even though many people know the Honeywell brand, not everyone knows the man behind it.

He was born in 1943 in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. He came from a humble background but worked his way up through education, training, and hard work. His first major career was in banking. He worked with the Co-operative Bank for over 20 years and rose to become a top manager. His experience in banking gave him the knowledge and confidence to start his own business.

After leaving the bank, he started Honeywell Enterprises, a trading company. He traded in different goods, and over time, this company grew and became what we now know as the Honeywell Group. Today, Honeywell is one of Nigeria’s leading business groups.

Many Nigerians know Honeywell Flour Mills. The company makes everyday products like semolina, wheatmeal, bread flour, and instant noodles. These are products you’ll find in homes, supermarkets, and shops across the country. But Honeywell is much more than just flour. Under Oba Otudeko’s leadership, the company has invested in many other areas including real estate, oil and gas, power, and finance. One of the real estate companies under Honeywell is Uraga Real Estate, which handles modern property development in Nigeria.

Otudeko is not only a businessman. He has also served in important positions that helped shape Nigeria’s economy. He was the Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria, one of the oldest and biggest banks in the country. Under his leadership, First Bank became more modern and improved its customer service. He was also the President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, where he helped make the market more open and attractive to investors. At one point, he even served on the board of the Central Bank of Nigeria, advising on financial matters that affected the whole country.

People describe Oba Otudeko as calm, focused, and very disciplined. He is not the type of person who likes to show off his wealth. Instead, he believes in staying quiet, working hard, and planning for the future. He avoids unnecessary attention, but his work and success speak loudly for him.

Aside from business, he also gives back to society. Through the Oba Otudeko Foundation, he supports education, healthcare, and youth development. He believes that young Nigerians need opportunities to learn and grow so they can also become successful and help the country move forward.

Like every businessman, he has faced challenges. Nigeria is not an easy place to do business. The country has problems like unstable power supply, inflation, and changing government policies. But despite these, Oba Otudeko has kept his businesses strong and successful. One of his major achievements in recent years was the sale of Honeywell Flour Mills to Flour Mills of Nigeria. It was a big deal in the Nigerian food industry and showed his ability to make smart business decisions even in tough times.

Oba Otudeko has shown that with the right mindset, anyone can rise from humble beginnings to become a national and international figure. He is proof that success doesn’t always come with noise. It can come quietly, through vision, discipline, and consistency.

His story is a big inspiration, especially for young people in Nigeria. He teaches us that we don’t always need to be in the spotlight. What matters most is the work we do and the value we create. With patience, focus, and the right knowledge, we can build something great and lasting.

Oba Otudeko’s journey reminds us that building wealth is not about shortcuts or quick money. It’s about building something real, something strong, and something that can last for generations.