Pastor Jerry Uchechukwu Eze, founder of Streams of Joy International and convener of the New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations (NSPPD), turned 44 today.
The pastor who is married to Pastor Eno Jerry, was born on August 22, 1982, in Umuahia, Abia State. The birthday comes weeks after he joined the board of Heirs Life Assurance, part of Tony Elumelu’s Heirs Insurance Group.
Members of his church and followers across Nigeria and abroad marked the day with messages across social media platforms. Pastor Eze posted his own message on X, where he holds the handle @RealJerryEze. “44 IS FINALLY HERE…Words are not enough to say THANK YOU LORD!” he wrote. Streams of Joy International shared its own tribute, describing him as a leader who has fasted and prayed daily throughout the year.
Before he entered full-time ministry, Eze worked as a communications specialist on a World Bank programme addressing HIV/AIDS and later with the United Nations Population Fund. He holds a bachelor’s degree in History and International Relations from Abia State University and a postgraduate degree in Business Administration from Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
He founded Streams of Joy International in 2013. The ministry now runs 34 branches across West Africa, Southern Africa, Europe and North America.
NSPPD grew out of the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, when Eze began hosting daily online prayer sessions. The platform now reaches millions of viewers each day and has been ranked the most-watched live channel in Nigeria by monitoring services including Playboard. In June 2023, an NSPPD prayer convention at the ExCeL arena in London drew about 70,000 attendees.
Twelve days before this birthday, Heirs Life Assurance named Eze an Independent Non-Executive Director on its board, effective August 10, 2026. The company is part of Heirs Insurance Group, chaired by businessman Tony O. Elumelu.
The appointment came as Heirs Life works to raise insurance uptake in Nigeria, where penetration remains below one percent, among the lowest rates in the world, according to the company. Mr Tony Elumelu said Jerry Eze’s background in community engagement and his standing with the public would support that goal, pointing to the trust Eze has built through his ministry and philanthropic work, including the Jerry Eze Foundation, which provides housing support and grants to underserved communities.
Pastor Eze responded to the appointment in a statement released by the company. “I am honoured to join the Board of Heirs Life Assurance at a defining moment for the insurance industry,” he said, adding that he looked forward to working with the board and management to widen access to insurance for Nigerians.
He holds no shares in Heirs Life Assurance. The company said shareholders brought him in for oversight and strategic input, not for any financial stake in the firm.
