Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited (BAECC) has announced the appointment of Dr. Emmanuel Onwodi as its Chief Operating Officer (COO). Dr. Onwodi is a renowned Public-Private Partnership and infrastructure specialist with over 25 years of professional experience in infrastructure development, concession management, project finance, risk management, transport, and logistics. His appointment aims to strengthen the executive leadership of BAECC as it advances the development and management of the critical Benin-Asaba highway corridor.
Dr. Onwodi's professional background includes significant experience as a senior official of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), where he worked for about fourteen years and rose to director-level positions. He has participated in the development, review, and implementation of major PPP and infrastructure initiatives involving roads, railways, ports, aviation, energy, real estate, and social infrastructure. His expertise covers the structuring and negotiation of concession arrangements, project finance, financial modeling, risk allocation, and contingent liabilities.
Dr. Onwodi holds a Ph.D. in Risk Management in Public-Private Partnerships, with research focused on contingent liability risk. He also holds an M.Sc. in Risk Management from Birmingham City University in the United Kingdom and a B.A. in International Accounting from the University of Northampton, UK. Additionally, he has a Postgraduate Diploma in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, Zaria. His professional qualifications span accounting, finance, infrastructure, logistics, and management.
As COO of BAECC, Dr. Onwodi will be responsible for driving the operational execution of the Benin-Asaba Expressway concession. His mandate includes strengthening project delivery, coordinating key stakeholders, and supporting the implementation of the concession company's long-term objectives. He will also promote operational efficiency, maintain the integrity of the concession framework, and strengthen cooperation among government institutions, investors, contractors, lenders, communities, and other stakeholders connected with the project.
Dr. Onwodi's experience in Nigeria's infrastructure sector includes contributions to major policy initiatives such as the Nigerian Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan and the National Infrastructure Financing Policy. He also served on the Inter-Agency Committee involved in developing Nigeria's Sukuk bond framework, aimed at opening additional sources of capital for infrastructure development. His work has extended to alternative infrastructure financing, including transactions designed to mobilize private capital for public projects.
In his new role, Dr. Onwodi will leverage his expertise in PPP structuring and financial modeling for aviation and airport infrastructure, independent power projects, hydropower risk allocation, and other energy-sector transactions. His experience also covers urban and social infrastructure projects, including work relating to the National Theatre concession, Federal Secretariat PPP, and infrastructure models in the health and education sectors. BAECC said Dr. Onwodi's combination of public-sector experience, private infrastructure knowledge, financial expertise, and familiarity with complex concession arrangements would support the company's efforts to deliver the Benin-Asaba Expressway project.
Dr. Onwodi's appointment comes at an important stage in the development of the corridor, where coordination among the concessionaire, government institutions, contractors, financiers, communities, and road users remains crucial. He currently serves as Director of Programme and Capacity Building for the PPP Practitioners Association of Nigeria (P3PAN) and is Branch Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Abuja. He has delivered presentations and participated in professional engagements on PPPs, infrastructure finance, transport, risk management, and concession development in Nigeria and internationally.
Key points
- Dr. Emmanuel Onwodi's appointment as COO of BAECC brings over 25 years of professional experience in infrastructure development and concession management.
- Dr. Onwodi's expertise covers PPP structuring, financial modeling, and risk allocation in various infrastructure sectors.
- His appointment aims to strengthen the executive leadership of BAECC and drive the operational execution of the Benin-Asaba Expressway concession.
