Sam Ovraiti was born in Zaria, Nigeria in 1961. He attended Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State and University of Benin, Edo Sate, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) with distinction and an MFA degree respectively. He was best overall student in painting and won several academic and national prizes when he graduated in 1983. Prior to becoming a full time professional artist, he taught painting, drawing and illustration at Federal Polytechnic, Auchi from 1985 to 1993. With eleven solo exhibitions and numerous group shows, Sam Ovraiti's paintings have become well known in Nigeria and Internationally.