Ede Dafinone was born in Lagos on 10 April 1962. He rose from a distinguished background in accounting and business to become the Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District in Nigeria’s 10th National Assembly.
Who Is Ede Dafinone?
Ede Dafinone is a Nigerian chartered accountant-turned-politician from Delta State, representing Delta Central on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He is known for his professional background and philanthropic work in Delta state.
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Profile Summary
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Full Name |
Ede Omueya Dafinone |
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Date of Birth / Age |
10 April 1962 / 63 years (as of 2025) |
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State of Origin |
Delta State, Nigeria |
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Local Government Area |
Okpe |
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Tribe / Ethnicity |
Urhobo (Okpe) |
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Religion |
Christainity |
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Marital Status |
Married to Eyamba Dafinone |
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Political Party |
All Progressives Congress (APC) |
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Current Position |
Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District (10th Senate) |
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Years Active in Politics |
Active in various parties since at least 1998, became a Senator in 2023 |
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Net Worth (Estimated) |
No reliable current public estimate found; previous business stake disclosure suggests significant assets |
Early Life and Education
Though born in Lagos, Nigeria, the lawmaker hails from the Dafinone family of Urhobo origin, deeply rooted in the Sapele/Okpe area of Delta State. His father was David Omueya Dafinone, a prominent accountant and former Senator.
He attended Corona School, Apapa, Lagos, from 1968 to 73 and then King’s College, Lagos (1973-78). He then studied at Rugby School in Warwickshire, United Kingdom, from 1978 to 1980. He earned a B.A. (Hons) in Economics from the University of Manchester (1980-83) and an M.A. in Economics from the University of Exeter (1984).
He subsequently attended Lagos Business School for advanced management studies. He is a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. During his schooling and early career, his family’s strong accounting tradition was notable: his siblings and father were all members of ICAEW.
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Career Before Politics
Before full-time politics, Dafinone built a substantial professional career. He worked at Touche Ross & Co. (London) from 1984 to 1988. In 1989, he joined Crowe Dafinone (Chartered Accountants) in Lagos. Over time, he became a Partner (1997) and later Deputy Managing Partner (from 2007).
He held directorships/chairmanships in various entities, including Sapele Petroleum Ltd, Ceddi Corporation Ltd, and Sapele Integrated Industries Ltd. He also served as director at NEXIM Bank, a member of the ICAEW advisory board, a board member of the National Film & Video Censors Board, and the chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria Export Promotion Group (MAN-EPG), among others.
His business interests included export manufacturing (rubber plantation & crumb rubber), real estate (shopping mall), and insurance (NEM Insurance Plc). His professional success and community involvement built his profile, which he later leveraged into political office.
Political Career
Entry into Politics
Dafinone’s political involvement dates back to the founding of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State in 1998 alongside his father. He contested the PDP Delta Central senatorial primaries in 2006. He later joined the APC in 2014.
Major Political Roles
In February 2023, he contested the senatorial election for Delta Central on the APC platform and was elected. He then assumed office as Senator in the 10th National Assembly, where he currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committees on Legislative Compliance and on Local Content.
His legislative initiatives include sponsoring bills such as the establishment of a Federal University of Education, Isiokolo; an act to amend the 1999 Constitution to define gross misconduct for impeachment; anti-open grazing/ranching bill; a bill to amend the Petroleum Training Institute Act, etc.
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He has been actively delivering constituency projects: for example, commissioning ICT centres in schools, installing transformers, and engaging in environmental security interventions in Delta Central. He was named ‘Senator of the Year’ at the 7th Niger Delta Advancement Awards (January 2025) for his representation, projects, and oversight functions.
Achievements and Impact
His impact includes:
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Infrastructure interventions: commissioning of transformers, establishment of ICT centres in schools across his district.
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Healthcare outreaches: medical service to thousands of constituents for chronic diseases.
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Advocacy for his constituency: e.g., environmental security meetings, support of traditional institutions, championing of Urhobo interests.
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Awards and recognition from media and civil society.
There have also been controversies when a group of constituents in May 2025 threatened a recall motion citing non-performance.
Personal Life
Senator Dafinone is married to Eyamba Dafinone and comes from a large family of accountants. His father and his siblings all pursued chartered accounting. Religiously, his family is from the Urhobo people (predominantly Christian).
He appears to have a quiet public persona, emphasising service, capacity building, philanthropy rather than flamboyant display.
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Net Worth and Assets
A precise current net-worth figure for Senator Dafinone is not publicly verifiable in reliable sources. However, a 2018 industry report noted that he had a 6.98% stake (~368 million shares) in NEM Insurance, valued then at about N994.8 million.
Notable Quotes
For me, politics is not merely about occupying office, but about lifting people and shaping destinies.
