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Inside Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s N300 Billion Empire

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy is arguably among the top five richest clergy in Nigeria with an intimidating business empire. The super rich pastor is worth over N300 billion.

Operating under the Love World umbrella, his business interests span publishing, broadcasting, entertainment, hospitality as well as banking.

Due to his charismatic ministrations, he has won many followers from the corporate and upwardly mobile young men and women who spare nothing to keep the conglomerate going. Pastor Chris has followers of over five million all over the world who pump in money in form of tithes, offerings and special donations as partners. Interestingly, ENCOMIUM Weekly reliably gathered most of his revenues come in foreign currencies which is why he is more abroad than Nigeria. According to our source, through his miracle programmes across continents, he has won so many followers who in return spare no currency to keep his buoyant ministry running. If an average member of five million each pays an average of N100 as offering in a week, the result is an average of N500 million and in a year it runs to N26 billion. An average of one hundred thousand worshippers who pay a tithe of $100 (N16,000) weekly generate N1.6 billion which translates to N82 billion annually. Aside that, several billions of naira were raked in through special donations from his financial partners scattered across the world.

The headquarters of the sprawling conglomerate is a magnificent building on Kudirat Abiola Way,Oregun Lagos , which also doubles as Christ Embassy Church. There is Love World Plus, a N2.5 billion digital production outfit also in Oregun. It was opened in 2010. The multimedia studio boasts of modern production equipment. It was used for Guinness Nigeria Plc’s Street Dance which reportedly gulped several millions. It is also the toast of independent producers who do bulk bookings for sessions.

Another enterprise that fetches mega bucks for him is the Global Plus Communications Limited, worth over N5 billion, with branches in Nigeria and South Africa. Although the fortunes of the concern has dwindled, there are other booming ventures like Superscreen TV, National Daily and National Standard Magazine. Pastor Chris equally has a free-to-air channel in South Africa.

They produce and air Christian movies and TV series. The decoder and dish go for N25,000 and they have an average of one million subscribers across the world. That sums up to N25 billion.

With Minaj going comatose, Superscreen TV is still flying the Love World’s flag. On the seventh floor of Lagemo House, Onipanu, Lagos, this station that started operations in 2007 accommodates one of the most active media arms of the empire.

The charismatic pastor also has GlobalPlus, on Ikosi Road, Oregun. The digital press prints for some national and regional publications. The printing press makes profit in excess of N2 billion per annum (an average of N100 million per month). They have since installed more sophisticated machines to handle other publications like Rhapsody of Realities and a collection of well over 30 books that generate billions for Pastor Chris and Anita Oyahilome. The daily Christian devotional is published monthly. It is already in 84 languages. Those in the know claimed that its print run is in excess of five million per year. It is one of the most widely read devotionals in Africa and warmly embraced in Europe and Asia. First published in 2005, then at the cost of N300, it currently sells for N150. Members are encouraged to buy it and other Love World products in bulk and distribute freely to friends and family members. And when this happens, big bucks fly back to the coffers of preacher whose branches spread to South Africa, Europe, Asia and America. The monthly return is about N750 million (that is N150 multiplied by five million) per annum.

Other than books, CDs, videos and multimedia products, Christ Embassy equally pockets additional money from members who form global partnerships to sponsor Pastor Chris’ Outreach. Their commitment runs into millions of naira annually.

Furthermore, Love World Records Limited, in Ikeja, Lagos was incorporated in 2008, as a private limited liability company to carry on with the business of music, entertainment and gospel merchandise. It is credited with producing many artistes, who are mainly members of the ministry. Insiders said it is the only label in Nigeria that focuses mainly on publishing, producing, marketing and distributing gospel music and the promotion of artistes. They have also penetrated the international market. Their music videos and CDs are in the United Kingdom, Canada, United States of America, South Africa and Ghana. The studio, managed by experienced hands, holds the franchise of record labels of Believers Love World Incorporated, which allegedly rakes in close to N10 million per month.

Another area of business, the Edo born minister has delved into is events and entertainment. He converted a warehouse to K and G Event Centre on Oregun Road, Lagos. The thriving business is a regular rendevouz for members of Believers Love World. The centre makes millions of naira per week. It is also for the general public.

The gifted preacher again has interest in the real estate sector. Already, Love World has a choice property in Oregun, Ikeja, neighbourhood from where they operate. Sacked from their Alausa property years back by former governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Christ Embassy started buying up Oregun. The new studio is on a property near Oceanic Bank Plc and Vivian Fowler Memorial Girls Secondary School, all in the same area. The church’s headquarters and the new convocation centre, are on Billings Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, and said to be worth over N2 billion.

With a fast growing church and expansive business empire netting billions of naira, and monthly tithes worth over N1.6 billion (aside offerings and donations), there is no doubt that Pastor Chris Oyakhilome is in the league of billionaire pastors and businessmen.

Christian Oyakhilome (known popularly as Pastor Chris) is a Nigerian minister who is the founding president of Believers’ LoveWorld Incorporated also known as Christ Embassy, a Bible-based Christian ministry headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.

His ministry runs several arms including the Healing School, Rhapsody of Realities (a daily devotional with global reach), and an N.G.O called the Innercity Mission as well as three Christian television channels: LoveWorld TV, LoveWorld SAT and LoveWorld Plus. Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s television programmes feature his faith healings, miracles and large meetings which his ministry organizes around the world, with gatherings over 2.5 million people in a single night’s event. He is one of the most influential preachers in Africa and as a result has been the target of the Nigerian government’s scrutiny for his meetings and miracles. Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has also been a target of criticism by the Treatment Action Campaign for his support of faith healing to cure HIV.

Pastor Chris started preaching from his youth, holding large miracle meetings during his secondary and tertiary school days. His grandfather was also a minister.

Pastor Chris’ ministry has expanded rapidly beyond coasts of Nigeria and South Africa, and he now holds large meetings in the United States and has healing school sessions in Canada, and United Kingdom. Pastor Chris has a strong following, especially among the youth and is notable for organizing the Night of Bliss South Africa at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg and Higher Life Conferences in Canada, United States of America, and the United Kingdom.

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome runs a global prayer network using social network platforms to send messages to Christians around the world regularly. His account is @PastorChrisLive on these platforms, he currently has over 1.2 million followers on Twitter, as well as his own social networking website called Yookos.

Encomium

Written by Encomium

A media, tech and events company.

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