Tonye Cole

Tonye Cole
Born	(1967-01-11) January 11, 1967 Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, politician, author, minister
Years active	1990–present
Known for	Co-founder and former Group Executive Director of Sahara Group
Notable work	Morning Reflections (2013), My God Thinks (2016)

Tonye Patrick Cole (born 11 January 1967) is a Nigerian billionaire entrepreneur, recognized as the co-founder and former Group Executive Director of Sahara Group, a leading energy conglomerate with operations spanning Nigeria, West Africa, East Africa, and beyond. The company operates in 38 countries, employs more than 4,000 staff, and generates an annual revenue of $11 billion. Cole was instrumental in driving Sahara Group’s international growth and ensuring adherence to corporate governance standards, securing its standing with organizations such as the World Economic Forum, where he actively participated in the Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI). He also contributed to the United Nations by serving on the advisory board of the Private Sector Advisory Group for the UNDP Sustainable Development Group Fund (SDG-F). Additionally, he engages with the African Philanthropy Forum.

Outside his corporate endeavors, Cole spearheaded global projects for the Sahara Foundation and established the Nehemiah Youth Empowerment initiative aimed at motivating African youth through leadership training and actionable programs. He founded the Behavioral Health Institute (BHI), which addresses youth behavioral health challenges in Nigeria. Moreover, he partners with various Nigerian charitable organizations including the Down Syndrome Foundation, Slum-2-School Foundation, and multiple orphanages.

Cole’s governance experience includes board memberships at Atlas Mara Limited, Bloomberg TV Africa, Enactus Nigeria, Nigerian Chamber of Shipping, and Digital Jewels. He continues to contribute to sustainable development efforts as a member of the UN Sustainable Development Fund’s Private Sector Advisory Group and was appointed to the World Bank Group's Expert Advisory Council on Citizen Engagement.

Biography

Born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on 11 January 1967, Tonye Cole attended Corona School in Victoria Island, King's College Lagos, and King's Ely in the United Kingdom. He earned a bachelor's degree combining Architecture and Engineering from the University of Lagos, obtained a Portuguese language certificate from Universidade de Brasilia in Brazil, and completed Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program in 2014.

Cole’s professional journey began at Grupo Quartro SA, a Brazilian architectural firm (1990–1992), where he contributed to urban development projects in Palmas, Tocantins—including designing the Ministry of Justice Building alongside residential developments. Upon returning to Nigeria in 1993, he took on the role of Director of Operations at Empressa Sul Americana de Montagens S.A. (EMSA), a prominent Brazilian civil engineering company. There, he oversaw a World Bank-funded water infrastructure project for the Lagos Water Corporation valued at $5.8 million.

An ordained minister with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Cole leads Team Nehemiah—a group dedicated to transforming Redemption Camp into a contemporary urban center. He is also known as a motivational speaker, author, and mentor. In 2013, he published "Morning Reflections," a daily devotional book.

Tonye Cole is the son of Patrick Dele-Cole, who served as managing director of the Daily Times Newspaper and was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Brazil. He is married to Dr. Sylvia Cole and is father to three grown children.

Publication

• Creator of Morning Reflections, a daily devotional released in 2013.
• Writer of My God Thinks (2016).
• Contributor to Thisday Style's column "Watchers of Times."

Awards

• Recipient of the 2017 Oil & Gas Council Lifetime Achievement and Executive of The Year Award.
• Honored with the 2014 Wharton Club Of Africa Award for Best Company To Work For.
• Awarded the 2013 Forbes/Ebonylife TV Best of Africa distinction.
• Recognized in 2011 by African Property Awards/Bloomberg TV for Highly Commendable Office Architecture.
• Finalist for the 2011 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year.
• Winner of the 2010 Thisday Award as Young Global Champions in Oil and Gas.
• Received the 2009 Role Model Award from We Are The Future Of Our Nation for notable contributions in oil and gas.
• Granted the 2007 Merit Award by the University Of Lagos Alumni Association for exceptional national development efforts.

Politics

In September 2018, Mr. Cole stepped down from all positions within Sahara Group and other board memberships to focus on pursuing elective office in his native Rivers State. He emerged victorious in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries for governor; however, a legal conflict excluded the party from the 2019 elections, preventing his participation. During this interval, he concentrated on strengthening his political team.

On 26 May 2022, Cole was chosen as APC’s gubernatorial candidate for Rivers State in the 2023 elections, winning 77% of delegate support. Despite a Federal High Court nullifying all APC primaries in Rivers State in October 2022, the Court of Appeal overturned this ruling in January 2023 after objections from party members, reinstating Cole’s candidacy.