Lizzie Wanyoike Biography, Age, Husband, Children, Net Worth, Family, Death & More
Lizzie Wanyoike (born in 1950 – died 14 January 2024, Aged: 73 years old), also known as Elizabeth Muthoni, was a Kenyan businesswoman, educator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
She was the founder, proprietor, and chief executive officer of Nairobi Institute of Business Studies (NIBS), one of the leading private colleges in Kenya. She was also the chairperson of NIBS Technical College and NIBS Beauty Academy. She died on January 14, 2024, at the age of 73, after battling cancer.
Early Life and Education
Lizzie was born in 1950 in Karuri, Murang’a County, Kenya. She was the sixth of ten siblings in a humble family. Her father was a carpenter and her mother was a farmer.
She attended Gathuki-in Primary School and Kahuhia Girls High School, where she excelled academically. She then joined Kenyatta University College, where she pursued a diploma in education. She later obtained a bachelor’s degree in education from the same institution.
Lizzie Wanyoike Wiki/Bio
| Full Name | Lizzie Muthoni Wanyoike |
| AKA | Elizabeth Muthoni |
| Born | 1950 |
| Died | January 14, 2024 |
| Birthplace | Karuri, Murang’a County, Kenya |
| Death Cause | Cancer |
| Occupation(s) | Educator, Businesswoman, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist |
| Education | Gathuki-ini Primary School, Kahuhia Girls High School Kenyatta University College |
| Spouse | Name Not Known (possibly Divorced but not confirmed) |
| Children | Wanyoike Mburu, Wanjiru Stella, Kariuki Eric |
| Founder, Proprietor & CEO of | Nairobi Institute of Business Studies (NIBS) NIBS Technical College NIBS Beauty Academy |
| Social Media Links | Instagram: wanyoikelizzie Twitter: lizziewanyoike Facebook: LizzieWanyoike Wikipedia: Lizzie_Wanyoike |
| Homepage | newsunzip.com |
Career and Achievements
Wanyoike started her career as a teacher at Ngara Girls High School in Nairobi. She taught mathematics and physics for 18 years, rising to the position of deputy principal. She was also involved in various co-curricular activities, such as drama, music, and sports. She was passionate about empowering young girls and women through education and mentorship.
In 1999, she resigned from her teaching job and ventured into the private education sector. She founded NIBS with the vision of providing quality and affordable education to the youth and adults in Kenya. She started with a rented premise in Ruiru town, offering courses in business, information technology, and hospitality. She later expanded to other branches in Thika Road, Town Campus, and Ongata Rongai. She also established NIBS Technical College and NIBS Beauty Academy, offering courses in engineering, hairdressing, beauty therapy, and fashion design.
Teaching Career
Lizzie taught at State House Girls’ School for three years, earning a monthly salary of KSh 961. She then quit and joined Temple College of Secretarial Studies as a principal instructor, along with her husband and partners. She proposed to expand the college’s courses to include accounting, marketing, and management, but she was rejected by the management. She decided to leave and start her institution.
Founder of NIBS
In 1999, Wanyoike founded the Nairobi Institute of Business Studies (NIBS), a private tertiary college that offers a variety of courses in business, technology, hospitality, journalism, and more. She started with KSh 6 million in savings and a KSh 4 million loan from a bank. She rented a building in Ruiru, Kiambu County, and enrolled 25 students in the first intake.
She faced many challenges, such as lack of accreditation, competition, and bureaucracy, but she persevered and grew the college to become one of the leading institutions in Kenya. Today, NIBS has over 6,000 students and four campuses in Ruiru, Thika Road, Town, and Ongata Rongai. NIBS is also accredited by the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) and the Commission for University Education (CUE).
Emory Hotel
Lizzie also ventured into the hospitality industry by establishing the Emory Hotel in Kileleshwa, Nairobi. The hotel, which opened in 2016, is a four-star facility that offers accommodation, conference, and catering services to both local and international clients.
The hotel also serves as a practical training ground for NIBS’ hospitality students, who get hands-on experience in the industry. The hotel was built with an initial budget of $4 million, partly funded by loans from Equity Bank Kenya Limited.
Real Estate
Wanyoike also invested in real estate and the stock market, diversifying her portfolio and increasing her wealth. She owned several properties in Nairobi and other parts of the country, including land, houses, and apartments.
Philanthropy and Social Impact
Lizzie was not only a successful businesswoman but also a generous philanthropist and a social impact leader. She established the Lizzie Wanyoike Foundation, which focuses on charitable work such as sponsoring disadvantaged students at NIBS and supporting students in Kenyan secondary schools.
She also donated to various causes, such as health, education, and women’s empowerment. She was a mentor and a role model to many young people, especially girls, who looked up to her as an inspiration. She was also involved in various community initiatives, such as the Rotary Club, the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), and the Kenya Association of Women Business Owners (KAWBO).
Personal Life and Spouse
Wanyoike was married and had three children: Wanyoike Mburu, Wanjiru Stella, and Kariuki Eric. She was a devoted Christian and a member of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. She was also an avid reader and a lover of music and art.
Death Cause
Lizzie died on January 14, 2024, at her home in Ruiru, Kiambu County, Kenya. She had been battling cancer for a long time. She was buried on January 20, 2024, at her ancestral home in Karuri, Murang’a County, Kenya. She was mourned by her family, friends, colleagues, students, and the public as a remarkable woman who left a lasting legacy in Kenya’s education sector.
Net worth and Income sources
According to various sources, Lizzie Wanyoike’s net worth was estimated to be over $500,000, reflecting the financial success she achieved through her educational and entrepreneurial ventures. Her main sources of income were:
- NIBS: She established NIBS in 1999 with a capital of KSh 10 million (about $100,000) and grew it to a leading private tertiary college with over 6,000 students and four campuses. She invested over KSh 250 million (about $2.5 million) to expand NIBS and build its headquarters on a 10-acre piece of land in Ruiru-Kimbo, Kiambu County.
- Emory Hotel: She also built a four-star hotel in Kileleshwa, Nairobi, which served both local and international clients and provided practical training for NIBS’ hospitality students. The hotel’s establishment was budgeted to cost $4 million (about KSh 400 million) and was partly funded by loans from Equity Bank Kenya Limited.
- Real estate and stock market: She diversified her portfolio with investments in land and shares of various companies.
Parents and Siblings
Wanyoike was born in 1951 in Murang’a County. She was the sixth-born in a family of ten siblings. Her father was a village chief while her mother was a peasant housewife. The family faced financial challenges, according to her account.
She attended Gathuki-in Primary School, in Wathenge, Muranga County, before transferring to Kahuhia Girls High School, in Karuri, Muranga County, where she graduated with a High School Diploma. She was then admitted to Kenyatta University College (today Kenyatta University), where she graduated with a Diploma in Education.
Height, Weight & Physical Stats
| Weight | In Kilograms: 58 kg In Pounds: 128 lbs |
| Height | In Feet Inches: 5′ 6″ In Meters: 1.67 m In Centimetres: 167 cm |
| Hair Color | Black. |
| Eye Color | Black. |
| Shoe Size | 6 US. |
Children
Lizzie Wanyoike had three biological children from her marriage with a former Member of Parliament, whom she divorced after 26 years. Her children are Wanyoike Mburu, Wanjiru Stella, and Kariuki Eric, who currently manage and direct their family businesses. She also had three step-children from her husband’s previous marriage, whom she treated as her own.
Controversies
Lizzie faced some challenges and controversies in her personal and professional life, such as:
- Her marriage breakup: She revealed that she was locked out of her home after 26 years of marriage, and her husband brought her a letter chasing her away, denying having ever married her as he had a legally wedded wife. She disputed claims that he cheated on her. She retained her husband’s surname, acknowledging the role he played in shaping the person she became.
- Her management style: She was accused of being authoritarian by some of her staff and students, who claimed that she did not listen to their grievances and suggestions. She also faced allegations of mistreating and underpaying her workers.
- Her legal battles: She was involved in several court cases, some of which she won and some of which she lost. For instance, she won a case against the Kenya Revenue Authority, which had demanded KSh 38 million (about $380,000) in taxes from her. She also lost a case against the Kenya National Examinations Council, which had canceled the results of 540 NIBS students over irregularities.
Lizzie was a Kenyan businesswoman, educator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who founded and led NIBS, one of the leading private colleges in Kenya. She started her career as a teacher and rose to the position of deputy principal at Ngara Girls High School in Nairobi.
She resigned from her teaching job in 1999 and ventured into the private education sector, starting with a rented premise in Ruiru town. She expanded her business to other branches and established NIBS Technical College and NIBS Beauty Academy, offering a variety of courses in business, information technology, hospitality, engineering, hairdressing, beauty therapy, and fashion design.
