Barrister (Mrs.) Ngozi Ekeoma, the Group Managing Director of Nepal Group of Companies, has been recognized by The Guardian as one of the "100 Top Strategic CEOs of Nigeria’s Most Transformative and Iconic Companies in 2025." This award highlights her two-decade journey of building a multi-industry conglomerate while driving significant social impact through philanthropy and job creation.
From Legal Practice to Multi-Industry Leadership
Ngozi Ekeoma is a lawyer by training, holding an LLB and a Diploma in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Lagos. Her professional acumen, however, was globally honed at the prestigious Harvard Business School in Boston, USA. This combination of local grounding and international exposure shaped her into the astute professional she is today.
Under her leadership, the Nepal Group has expanded its interests across critical sectors including Oil & Gas, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Power, and Logistics. She serves as the Managing Director/CEO of Nepal Energies (formerly Nepal Oil & Gas Services Limited), Quest Shipping Limited, Sorties Logistics, and Genesis Electricity Limited, among others.
A Legacy of Philanthropy and Community Impact
Beyond boardrooms, Ekeoma's work is deeply human-centric. She is the founder of the Pa. Anyaso Skill Acquisition Centre and the Ngozi Ekeoma Foundation (NEF), initiatives that have collectively empowered nearly 2000 women and youths with vocational skills.
In a remarkable response to the COVID-19 pandemic, she pioneered the construction of a world-class Isolation Centre and Molecular Laboratory in Abia State in 2020. During the lockdowns, she was also actively providing food and palliatives to vulnerable households and churches.
Her commitment to development is further seen in job creation, with the group offering over 2000 employments to Nigerians, and in infrastructure, such as building an ultra-modern block of classrooms for the proposed Police College in Oghara, Delta State.
Integrity as the Bedrock of Business Success
In an exclusive interview, Ekeoma attributed Nepal Energies' success to a vision anchored on innovation, integrity, and operational excellence. She stated that professional training, especially at Harvard, taught her to view leadership as a tool for inspiring people and creating lasting impact.
"Integrity has always been the bedrock of everything we do at Nepal Energies," she emphasized. "Success built without integrity is never sustainable. In an industry as sensitive as oil and gas, ethical practices are not optional; they are the foundation of trust."
She described one of her toughest leadership decisions during an oil price collapse, choosing to restructure rather than retrench staff. This experience, she said, reinforced her belief that protecting both the bottom line and the human spirit is paramount.
Vision for Nigeria's Energy Future
Assessing the Nigerian business landscape, Ekeoma acknowledged challenges like fluctuating oil prices and infrastructure deficits but remained optimistic about the opportunities. She praised the growing role of indigenous companies and cited the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) as a positive step towards a stable investment climate.
"Nigeria stands at a pivotal point in its energy journey," she noted. "The world is transitioning toward cleaner energy, and our role is to harness our strengths to redefine what energy means for our future. This transformation must benefit the nation and the generations to come."
Barrister Ngozi Ekeoma, a member of the Abia State Security Trust Fund and a Ruling Elder of the Presbyterian Church, is married with four children and three grandchildren. Her story continues to be one of strategic foresight, transformational leadership, and profound humanity.
