By FUNMI AJIMOBI, Assistant Woman Editor

MRS. Nkechi Obi, MON, is the founder and group managing director/CEO of Techno Oil Limited, one of Nigeria’s foremost oil and gas companies. She is a visionary and astute strategist who presides over the privately held, wholly indigenous company that today holds diverse portfolios of prime investments in the oil and gas industry.

The business, which was founded more than a decade ago from a very humble beginning, is today one of the leading indigenous business conglomerates with operations in key sectors of the economy and providing employment and growth to the economy. She holds a B.Sc in Economics and is an alumna of the prestigious Lagos and Harvard Business Schools. She is also an expert in strategy and business development with experience spanning more than 25 years in the petroleum industry. 

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Mrs. Obi had a distinguished career at ExxonMobil, where she did not sit on the sidelines but was actively involved in the repositioning of the company. She received many commendations and awards as proof of her diligence and high-rated performance. Swimming against the popular historical belief that men outperform women in oil and gas at all levels, particularly in the  leadership roles, she left ExxonMobil to start her private company in the same industry.

Knowing that a changemaker is a changemaker forever, she quickly brought zest, professionalism, and international best practises into the business. The outcome has been the fact that Techno Oil has emerged as a leader in the indigenous oil and gas genre. She has nurtured the company to a remarkable success, such that today, Techno Oil is regarded as a leading oil and gas company in the country, with a staff strength of over 500 personnel. Techno Oil has several distribution outlets in different locations across Nigeria, supplying a range of ISO 9001: 2008 certified products.

Mrs. Obi champions clean cooking through Techno Oil Cooksafe Initiative whose focus is to save lives, improve health, empower women and preserve the environment. In recognition of all these achievements and several local and global awards, inclusive of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist award, the President in 2012 bestowed on her a national award of Member of the Order of Niger, MON.

Vanguard, the best read paper with an eagle’s eye for the best, searched for who meets the high standard of selection for the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year in its prestigious 2022 Personality of the Year Award, and it is none other than Mrs. Obi. Congratulations!