Popular Nigerian televangelist Prophet TB Joshua of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Nigeria, died June 05.
Prophet TB Joshua was believed to be among Nigeria’s, and Africa’s richest pastors.
Although it is difficult to put a figure to Prophet TB Joshua’s wealth, his net worth is said to be over $15m.
The only known estimate of Joshua’s $10m-$15m by Forbes was published in 2011.
“Nigeria’s most controversial clergyman is also one of its richest and most philanthropic,” Forbes wrote of the religious leader.
“T.B Joshua heads the Synagogue Church of all Nations (SCOAN), a congregation he founded in 1987, which accommodates over 15,000 worshippers on Sundays.”
Forbes estimated that “in the past three years [2008-2011], he has given over $20 million to causes in education, healthcare and rehabilitation programs for former Niger Delta militants.”
One of his known investments was Emmanuel TV, a station that not necessarily brought in too much money for the ministry but could be a great pointer to the true extent of his wealth.
With SCOAN having branches in Ghana, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Greece as of 2011, Forbes suggested Prophet TB Joshua used miracles as a bait.
“The Pastor has remained controversial for several years for his inexplicable powers to heal all sorts of incurable diseases, including HIV/AIDS, cancer and paralysis,” the publication said in its profile of the televangelist.
“For miracle-craving worshippers, it’s the perfect seduction.”
With the difficulty of auditing churches and pastors, it is not easy to establish the true extent of wealth.
The figure could likely have grown from between $10m-$15m by leaps and bounds since 2011.
But with the church denying the figure published in 2011, and with the ‘prophet’ dead, the world might never know TB Joshua’s net worth.
What is certain, however, is that Joshua could have left behind enormous wealth to sustain his ministry and family.
