Māori leader, academic and businessman Sir Ngātata Love has died.

Love, 81, died peacefully at his Korokoro home on Wednesday last week, surrounded by loving whānau, a statement from his whānau published by Te Upoko o te Ika Radio on Facebook said.

Born in Lower Hutt, Love was a powerful advocate for Māori throughout the lower North Island, working with various groups on Waitangi Tribunal claims and land issues.

He was a professor in business studies, managed the Wellington Tenths Trust and the Palmerston North Māori Reserve Land Trust, and served terms as chief executive of Te Puni Kokiri and the Ministry of Māori Development.

He was awarded a PhD from Victoria University of Wellington in 1978, and eventually became Emeritus Professor at both Massey University and Victoria University of Wellington.

Love's contributions to New Zealand were recognised when he was made a Companion of the Queen's Service Order (QSO) in 2001, and a Knight Grand Companion of The New Zealand Order of Merit (GNZM) in 2008.

Controversy hit in 2016 when, while in poor health, Love was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail for obtaining property by deception.

He and his former partner, the late Lorraine Skiffington, used a $1.5 million payment from a land developer, given as a premium for access to valuable land owned by the Wellington Tenths Trust, to repay most of a mortgage on a Plimmerton house they co-owned.

Love appealed his conviction and sentence last year citing he suffered from dementia and was not mentally fit to stand trial, but it was turned down by the Court of Appeal.