Nkechi Obi: Fierce, dogged entrepreneur
Nkechi Obi is the Founder and Group Managing Director/CEO of Techno Oil Limited, one of Nigeria’s foremost oil and gas companies.
Nkechi Obi is many things, a mother, friend, mentor, business leader, thought leader, sports enthusiast, amongst many others.
An alumnus of the Lagos & Harvard Business Schools, Obi had a distinguished career in ExxonMobil and then brought zest, professionalism and international best practice into the business space, positioning Techno Oil as a leader with staff strength of over 500.
When asked about her journey, Nkechi Obi said her journey started with her mother.
According to the Techno Oil EVC, “I have always said my mentor is my mother. In fact, when I read all these books from the US, I can see my mum. Basically, she’s not well educated.
“At the same time, she is a successful trader and I tried as much as possible during vacations to be around her and trade with her. I almost ended up my career there because I did very well but that’s not where she wanted me to be. She would always look at very successful ladies and say that is where I want you to be.
“Consistently, she was saying that. Madam Ibru used to be one of them. She would always say, I want you to go and do attachment, vacation jobs with her. There were so many of them in the banks with deep pockets. When you see them, you know their husbands must have been taking care of them very well but not really the husbands.
“Those are successful women on their own. She was basically the driving force. We had a friend in ExxonMobil and she said that is a good place to do your youth service. I would say their contributions were quite enormous, parents being able to guide their children. We obeyed our parents. Immediately they think of anything, we believe that is the best decision,” she said.
On challenges, Nkechi believes that: “when you face daunting challenges along the way, your response should be that of defiance, strong will and commitment. I can hardly recollect situations in which people disbelieve in my abilities and my gender hindered my business goals.”
She notes that her unflinching desire and determination to be successful enabled her to confront and surmount challenges especially, during the early life of her company.
In an interview, Nkechi Obi recalled that: “One triumphant instance that readily comes to mind is our meeting and surpassing Exxon’s stringent target for qualification for country franchise. Also, during early years, we constantly had to grapple with rising bank charges that were eroding both our profits and operating capital. Following the merger of Exxon and Mobil, we were suddenly out of business and compelled to find viable alternative solutions fast. We overcame the obstacle by introducing our own brand of Techno Oil products.”
“I have always been focused and guided by good virtues such as humility, fairness and hard work. I have nursed the dream of being on top of my career and as a woman in a sector dominated by men, I knew I had to work extra hard to make enough impact that would take me to the height where my performance would be recognised and accepted.
“Getting up the ladder was not by sheer luck, but being very passionate, focused and hard-working. I am happy God has helped me achieve it,” She said.
As a visionary and an astute strategist who presides over Techno Oil Group, a diversified, privately held, wholly indigenous company which today, holds diverse portfolios of prime investments in oil and gas, Obi has for several years championed clean cooking through the Techno Oil Cook Safe Initiative, a CSR venture whose focus is to save lives, improve health, empower women and preserve the environment.
For her hardwork and doggedness, Nkechi Obi is NewsDirect Thriving Woman of the Week.
