The Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited (BAECC) has appointed a public-private partnership (PPP) and infrastructure specialist, Dr Oforkanji Emmanuel Onwodi, as its Chief Operating Officer (COO).

The appointment is aimed at strengthening the company’s executive leadership as it advances the development and management of the Benin-Asaba Expressway corridor.

Onwodi, a chartered accountant and infrastructure finance specialist, brings more than 25 years of professional experience spanning infrastructure development, concession management, project finance, risk management, transport and logistics.

He is a former senior official of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), where he spent 14 years in senior roles, rising to director-level positions covering Transport Infrastructure, Planning, Research and Statistics, and Special Projects.

In his new position, Onwodi will oversee the operational execution of the expressway concession, coordinate key stakeholders and support the implementation of BAECC’s long-term objectives.

His responsibilities will include strengthening project delivery, improving operational efficiency, maintaining the integrity of the concession framework and promoting cooperation among government institutions, investors, contractors, lenders, host communities and other stakeholders.

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, United Kingdom, and a B.A. in International Accounting from the University of Northampton, UK.

He obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, Zaria.

The new COO is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). He is also a Certified Public-Private Partnership Professional (CP3P), Chartered Financial Consultant (CFC) and Chartered Management Consultant (Ch.MC).

During his time at the ICRC, Onwodi participated in the development, review and implementation of major infrastructure and PPP initiatives covering roads, railways, ports, aviation, energy, real estate and social infrastructure.

His professional experience includes concession structuring and negotiation, project finance, financial modelling, risk allocation, contingent liabilities and the development of frameworks to improve the bankability and sustainability of infrastructure projects.

He contributed to policy initiatives, including the Nigerian Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan, the National Infrastructure Financing Policy and guidelines supporting PPP implementation across Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

Onwodi also served on the inter-agency committee involved in developing Nigeria’s Sukuk bond framework, which was designed to expand financing options for infrastructure projects.

In the transport sector, he participated in the negotiation and structuring of the Eastern and Western Railway concessions, valued at more than $2.2 billion. His experience also covers road concessions, national tolling frameworks, deep-sea ports, dry ports, truck transit parks and aviation infrastructure.

His maritime infrastructure work includes projects connected with the Badagry Deep-Sea Port, Ibom Deep-Sea Port and Bakassi Port.

He has also been involved in financial modelling and PPP structuring for airport infrastructure, independent power projects, hydropower risk allocation and other energy transactions.

According to BAECC, Onwodi’s combination of public-sector experience, financial expertise and knowledge of complex concession arrangements will support the company’s efforts to deliver the expressway project.

The company said his appointment comes at a critical stage of the corridor’s development, requiring effective coordination among the concessionaire, government agencies, contractors, financiers, communities and road users.

The Benin-Asaba Expressway is being developed under a PPP concession and serves as an important transport link between Edo and Delta states, facilitating the movement of people and goods across southern Nigeria.

Onwodi, who currently serves as Director of Programme and Capacity Building for the PPP Practitioners Association of Nigeria (P3PAN), is also the Branch Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Abuja.

Commenting on his approach to infrastructure development, he said: “Infrastructure is the bridge between vision and prosperity. Through balanced risk, transparent partnership, and rigorous execution, we turn concession agreements into lasting public value — for generations to come.”

BAECC said the new COO would focus on supporting timely project delivery, strengthening stakeholder relationships and ensuring that the concession generates sustainable value for road users, investors and the wider economy.

The company added that his appointment reinforces its commitment to building the professional and technical leadership required to deliver a safe, efficient and modern Benin-Asaba Expressway.

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