Billionaire businessman and philanthropist Femi Otedola has extended his congratulations to the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost.

Taking to Instagram on Friday, Otedola, who serves as Chancellor of Augustine University, Ilara, shared a photo of the pontiff from his 2016 visit to the Augustinian community in Abuja, Nigeria.

In his post, Otedola celebrated the Pope’s deep roots in the Augustinian Order, the religious foundation upon which the university is built.

“As Chancellor of Augustine University Ilara, I, Femi Otedola CON, proudly congratulate our new Pope, Leo XIV — a faithful Augustinian, the very heritage our university is built on,” he wrote.

“His Holiness visited our Augustinian community in Abuja in 2016. May God guide him as he leads 1.5 billion Catholics worldwide. Long live the Pope!”

Pope Leo XIV’s election marks a historic moment, as he becomes the first pontiff from the Augustinian Order — a Catholic religious community known for its commitment to education, spiritual depth and communal life. The order currently includes around 2,800 members across 47 countries.

Augustine University, located in Ilara, Epe, Lagos State, is named after Saint Augustine of Hippo, a central figure in Catholic theology and the patron of the Augustinian Order. The university has joined Catholics around the world in celebrating the new papacy.

The election has also drawn praise from Nigerian leaders and religious bodies. President Bola Tinubu commended the Pope’s legacy of service and expressed optimism for continued collaboration between Nigeria and the Vatican on peace, education, and interfaith dialogue.

Both the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) issued statements of goodwill, calling Pope Leo XIV’s ascension a moment of global joy for the Church.