Obinna Tochukwu Iyiegbu, widely known as Obi Cubana, is one of Nigeria’s most recognisable businessmen and the chairman of the Cubana Group, a hospitality empire spanning hotels, nightclubs, real estate, and beverages. Born on April 12, 1975, in Oba, Anambra State, he built his fortune from a single nightclub in Abuja into a business that stretches across multiple cities and industries. He’s the man behind the most talked-about funeral in Nigerian history, a social media personality with millions of followers, and he’s still expanding.
Profile Summary
| Full Name | Obinna Tochukwu Iyiegbu |
| Nickname | Obi Cubana |
| Date of Birth | April 12, 1975 |
| State of Origin | Oba, Idemili South, Anambra State |
| Occupation | Businessman, Entertainer, Investor |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Net Worth | $96 million (estimated) |
| Height | 6 ft |
| Weight | 70 kg |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Relationship Status | Married |
Biography
Obi Cubana grew up in a modest Igbo household where both his parents were educators. His father, Chief Sir Alex Nnaemeka Iyiegbu, was a school principal who passed away around 2006 at age 66. His mother, Ezinne Uche Iyiegbu, was a headmistress who died on December 31, 2020, at age 79. He is the fourth of five children, alongside brothers Chu and Ike Iyiegbu, sister Adaeze Moore, and younger sister Binky. His family is known in Oba as the “Akaeze Oba” family.
For his education, Obi attended Central Primary School in Oba and later Dennis Memorial Grammar School in Onitsha, where he obtained his WASCE certificate. He then gained admission to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, graduating in 1998 with a Second Class Upper degree in Political Science. In November 2022, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) honoured him with a doctorate for his contributions to entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
Career
The real turning point came during his NYSC year in 1999, posted to the National Assembly in Abuja. While serving, he started a furnishing side hustle that earned him his first ₦1.1 million, combining a ₦600,000 profit and a ₦500,000 tip from a satisfied client. That money became the seed capital for everything that followed.
His early attempts at business weren’t all smooth. He tried a garden restaurant, a phone importation business from Dubai, and a boutique in Garki before eventually finding his footing in nightlife. In 2006, he opened Ibiza Club in Abuja, which quickly became one of the capital’s top spots for nightlife entertainment. Inspired by a trip to South Africa around 2008, he launched Club Cubana in Owerri, Imo State in 2009 under the Cubana name, and the brand took off from there.
The Cubana Group today is a sprawling portfolio. On the hotel side, his properties include Grand Cubana Hotels in Jabi (four-star), Cubana Signature Hotel in Jabi District (five-star), Caledonian Suites in Maitama (five-star, 35 rooms), Cubana Suites on IBB Way, and Rolex Hotels in Lagos. Nightlife venues stretch across Owerri, Enugu, Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, with brands like Opium by Cubana, Gustavo Cubana, Pablo by Cubana, and Crave by Cubana. There’s also Hustle and Bustle, a restaurant in Abuja’s Wuse 2 area.
In March 2022, Obi Cubana launched Odogwu Bitters, an herbal alcoholic drink marketed as an energy and immune supplement, branded as one of his signature ventures. The product has since expanded to include Odogwu Vodka Mix, Odogwu Energy Drink, and Odogwu Hush, with distribution reaching Uganda, the UK, the US, Canada, and several other markets.
His business interests have grown well beyond hospitality. Casa Cubana Real Estate Limited develops luxury properties across Abuja, Lagos, and eastern Nigeria, including an 89.6-hectare smart homes and golf resort announced in 2022. Through the Enviable Group, he launched Enviable Transport in late 2023, deploying over 250 hybrid and electric vehicles in Abuja. He also launched Vaib Technology in 2024 and Top Distribution Limited in 2025. His most ambitious project yet, Cubana Millennium City in Asaba, Delta State, had its groundbreaking in December 2025.
He serves as a Samsung “Icon” for Samsung West Africa and holds brand partnerships with GAC Motors and Axion Africa Limited.
Personal Life
Obi Cubana married Ebele Iyiegbu (née Iwenofu) on June 14, 2008. She’s from Obosi, Anambra State, holds a law degree from Enugu State University, and is the CEO and founder of the KIEK Foundation, an NGO that has supported over 20,000 children through education, healthcare, and child rights advocacy. She also serves as Vice President of the Cubana Group and co-directs Casa Cubana Homes. Beyond all that, she authored the book Wifily Ever After and runs a life coaching brand.
The couple has four sons: Alex Obinna (born 2008), Prince Ifeanyichukwu (born 2011), Ebubechukwu (born 2015), and Kosisochukwu (born 2018). They also have an adopted son named Jerry Cubana.
One of the defining moments of Obi Cubana’s public life was his mother’s burial in July 2021. After she passed on December 31, 2020, he spent seven months planning an event that nobody in Nigeria would forget. The three-day ceremony in Oba drew celebrities including Davido, D’banj, Phyno, Ned Nwoko, and dozens of others. Between 246 and 400 cows were donated, cash gifts reportedly reached ₦200–300 million, and a golden casket valued at ₦30 million was used for the interment. The spectacle went viral across Africa and made Obi Cubana a household name far beyond his existing fanbase.
In January 2025, he publicly declared he had given his life to Christ. In January 2026, he received the chieftaincy title “Okpataozueora I of Oba” from Igwe Augustine Emelobe.
Awards
Over the years, Obi Cubana has received recognition from multiple bodies. His notable awards include Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2016), the Ghana-Nigeria Achievers Award for Inspiring Personality (2017), Northern Nigeria Peace Builder of the Year (2017), Nigeria Film Corporation Entertainment Icon Award (2017), Democracy Entrepreneur of the Year (2018), Man of the Year at the Nigerian Leadership Excellence Awards (2021), the Africa Canada Invest Summit Award (2022), and an Honorary Doctorate from ESUT in 2022.
Cars and Assets
Obi Cubana’s love for cars is well documented. His garage reportedly includes a bulletproof Mercedes-Benz Maybach S580 Guard 4MATIC (valued at over ₦250 million), two Lexus LX 570s, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a Rolls-Royce Wraith, a 2026 Rolls-Royce Cullinan acquired in December 2025 (reportedly worth over ₦600 million), a Brabus G-Wagon, a 2022 Toyota Land Cruiser 300, a 2023 Range Rover Autobiography, and a Mercedes-Benz S450 4MATIC used as his daily driver. Total garage value is estimated to exceed ₦1.8 billion.
His Abuja mansion is equally impressive, featuring a private cinema, an underground wine cellar, and a private swimming pool. A video of an Embraer ERJ-145MP aircraft branded with the Odogwu Bitters logo circulated online around the 2022 product launch, though confirmed ownership of the jet remains unverified.
Net Worth
Obi Cubana’s estimated net worth is widely cited at $96 million, built through his hospitality empire, real estate investments, beverage ventures, transport, and technology. While no major financial publication like Forbes has independently verified the figure, the $96 million estimate is the most consistently referenced across industry sources. Some blogs have floated numbers as high as $500 million, but those figures appear exaggerated given available evidence.
Social Media
Obi Cubana is most active on Instagram (@obi_cubana) where he has approximately 5 million followers. His Facebook page has over 3.7 million likes, while his TikTok account (@obicubanaodogwu) has around 239,000 followers. His Twitter/X account (@realobi_cubana) is relatively quiet at about 80,900 followers. He also maintains a personal website at obinnaiyiegbu.com.
