Nigerian singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has revealed how an encounter after his performance at the FIFA World Cup helped him make a major connection for his billionaire father, Dr. Adedeji Adeleke.

The Afrobeats superstar made this known during an interview, explaining how a casual hotel meeting turned into a business connection

“My dad had been trying to strike a deal with the World Bank president for years but couldn’t meet him. I met him at a hotel after performing at the World Cup, so I immediately called my dad on video, and they made a deal,” Davido shared.

Born into immense wealth and privilege as the son of Dr. Adedeji Adeleke, a titan of industry and the founder of Pacific Holdings Limited, Davido faced heavy resistance when he decided to pursue a path in entertainment. His father, deeply rooted in the corporate and energy sectors, initially wanted a traditional corporate trajectory for his son. Early in his career, critics frequently attempted to undermine his musical achievements, claiming his success was entirely propelled by his family’s financial muscle. Determined to prove his individual artistic grit, Davido famously rebelled against convention, leaving his affluent comfort zone to chase his passion. He famously recounted how he ran away from home and holed up in a friend’s recording studio, enduring difficult conditions to establish his own independent musical identity.

That rebellious grind ultimately birthed one of the most formidable empires in modern African entertainment. Bursting onto the mainstream scene with breakout hits like “Dami Duro” in 2011, Davido carved out a unique space with his high-energy delivery and infectious pop hooks. Over the past decade, he has evolved into a global powerhouse, filling international arenas, charting massive albums like Timeless, and cementing his status as “001” of the Afrobeats movement.

Meanwhile, his father’s business empire stands as a monumental pillar in Nigeria’s infrastructure and economy. Dr. Adedeji Adeleke controls Pacific Holdings Limited, with massive stakes in power generation through Pacific Energy Company Limited. Managing a combined generation capacity running into thousands of megawatts across major facilities in Ondo and Ogun states, including a massive multi-billion-dollar gas-fired power plant project designed to bolster Nigeria’s national grid, the Adeleke family name commands immense industrial influence both locally and globally.